Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-28
DELAY ON STATION TRACKS
MR.. SIMS BLAMES THE LOCAL
RAILWAY COMPANIES.
Says if They Would Consent to Reg
ulation and Universal Transfers
Conferees Would Soo1 Agree.

Representative Sims of Tennessee. one
of the House conferees on the Union sta
ton permanent trackage bill, is decidedly
displeased with the little or no progress
that is being made by the conference COM
mittee in reaching an agreement. In dis
cussing the matter today Mr.. Sims hearth
ly Endorsed the IDEAS .exemplified in the
editorial in The Star yesterday afternoon
of the newspapers of Washington doing
all in their power to prod the conferees
into greater activity.
The District committee of the House.
said~ Mr. Sims to Star reporter, held
daily sessions for several weeks while
this Union station permanent trackage
Dill was in preparation. and finally secured
the passage of the measure by the House.
Conferees were then appointed. and al
though l am one of the three on the part
OF the House. 1 do not mind stating that
the meetings of the conference committee
are altogether too infrequent.
Holds Railways Responsible.
"One thing I am certain of-the confer
ees could come to an agreement on the
Union station permanent trackage bill
within twenty minutes if the local street
railway companies would only signify
their willingness to accept the universal
transfer provision and the provision for
regulation by the District Commissioners
or by the interstate commerce commits
sion.
IF the compa MES do not consider the
District Commissioners qualified or COM
petent to exercise the supervisory powers
provided by the bill. they certainly cannot
urge the same objections to the interstate
commerce commission. which has super
visory control of 100000 miles of steam
railways in the United States. l am sure
too. that the conferees. once the railway
companies would make known their will
ingness to accede to this proposition.
would be able tos settle their other and
minor differences in quarter of an
hour.
In the Event Of Failure.
eff this bill is not passed at this session
of Congress-" continued Mr.. Sims in the
most emphatic tone. land the tracks on
the Union station plaza are not built and
in operation by the fourth of March next
to accommodate the great inauguration
thrOngs that will use the new station at
that time. then the people of the United
States will have most illuminating OBJ
ject lesson of what the influence of street
railway corporations in the National CAPT
tai is able to accomplish in the way of
blocking absolutely necessary legislation
pending in Congress.
ITO my mind, there is no excuse for
the attitude of the street railway COM
panies on this question. The great and
increasing value and earning power of
the various lines under the two corpora
tons operating here in Washington. and
the various other considerations involved
should make them willing to accede to
supervisory regulation-for that will come
and also be willing to accept the uni
versal transfer provision, which, in my
opinion. in comparatively short time
would prove to be here, as it has else
where. help rather than a hindrance
to the financial betterment of all the
lines