The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-02
THE CITY'S TRANS.
PORTATION SERVICE.

behind an effort to make q better
transportation service the hand
maiden to city growth and develop
ment.
In no direction is Washington so
much handicapped as in that of trans
portation This must be made broad
enough to include the unsatisfactory
distribution facilities provided by the
railroads, which leave Washington in
many regards at disadvantage COM
pared to Baltimore, Norfolk, and even
Alexandria.
We believe that these conditions
have been handed down from the time
when Washington was negligible as a
business community, and when the
foundations were laid for that system
of rate adjustments, basing points, etc,
which has become the basis of the
national business scheme. Washington
has grown to an Importance which JUS
titles insistent demand for fair treat
ment from all the transportation in
terests.
So far as the railroads are con-
cerned there is every reason to believe
that fair readjustments could be
secured by proper presentation of con-
ditions to the managers. There has
been too much neglect of these mat
tiers by the organized business in
terests.
In the matter of street car and
especially suburban service, the case is
different. The arrangements of the
traction service have seemed deliber-
ately to prefer that policy which is
calculated to make the service least
profitable, least popular with the COM
munity, least useful to the people.
When these gentlemen decline to adopt
the rules which intelligent selfshness
prescribes, then the alternative is to
impose those rules from the outside.
Mr.. Frank Lyon, Of Alexandria
county, in a letter printed in another
column today, Endorses The Times
effort in behalf of a modern street ear
service. He makes the suggestive OBJ
servation that he can ride in through
car from Washington to San Francisco,
but is not permitted to ride to his
home in Alexandria county by street
car without change.
Of course, this is all wrong. The
proof that it is wrong is that such
service is not permitted in other cities.
1t ought not to be permitted here,
and would not be if the people of
Washington would take thought Of
their condition.
The Times happens to know that
this question of requiring the suburban
car lines to bring their cars down.
town over the tracks of the metro
politan district lines, and of compel
ling the roads in the metropolitan
district to permit such use of their
tracks, is going to be forced upon the
attention of Congress next winter in
manner that will not longer permit
its neglect.
Washington will get about what it
deserves in this matter. 1t will get a
reform, a real modern service, if it
makes its demand sufficiently vigorous
and united.
1t is to be regretted that the or
ganized agencies through which Wash
ington business interests must speak
have not pressed these matters more
vigorously. The Washington Times
has stood practically alone in demand
ing attention to the public concern. 1t
will continue to do that.
The Chamber of Commerce and the
Board of Trade have presented to
them the opportunity to prove that
their offciaries are not dominated by
the friends of the big corporate in
terests. There has been persistent
charge to that effect. Let them dis
prove it by taking up the cudgels for
modern street car and suburban
service, and a chance for Washington
to develop as other cities do.