The Washington herald., 1911-12-01
TRANSFER FIGHT
GIVEN IMPETUS
Gotham Victory Will Have
Influence Here.
DARR SAYS 1T IS oPP0RTUNE
The Action of Public Service COM
mission of New York in Forcing
Street Railways to Give Inter-
chanEeabIe Transfers Will Have
Good Eject on Washington Issue.

Members Of the local universal trans
fer conference expressed the opinion last
night that the order issued by the New
York Public Service Commission on We'd
nesday, providing for reciprocal trans
fers in that city. as exclusively published
in The Washington Herald yesterday, Will
have A great influence in behalf of the
campaign in the National Capital. 1t
has been pointed out that all the argu-
ments which have been advanced for the
introduction of the transfer system In
the great metropolis are applicable TO
conditions in the District.
The New York order. said Charles
w Darr. chairman of the conference
last night, comes at a most opportune
time 1 feel certain that it will be a
great factor in obtaining similar legis-
lation for the people of the District. The
New York order we'll shows the drift OF
sentiment in other parts of the country
in favor of universal transfers.
TT will demonstrate to Congress that
If the complicated systems of New York
can be made to issue universal transfers,
1t ought to be a comparatively easy mat
ter to arrange in Washington. The order,
too, and the reasons set forth by Com
missioner Cram for issuing it, cannot
help but attract the attention of many
members of Congress and impress them
with the example the metropolis has
set for the Capital"
Capt. OYSTERS View.
Capt. Oyster agreed with the state
ments made by Commissioner Cram in
their applicability to conditions in WASH
ington. While 1 am a corporation man
in the sense that I believe every corpor
alton is Justly entitled to all reasonable
profits, yet l think that transfers here
would not work a hardship upon the
railway companies, and that, on the other
hand, the people are entitled to this
privilege, since the railway companies
occupy the public streets"
Mr.. Darr said the conference will urge
the enactment Of the bill which 1t has
framed, regardless of whether the Com
mIssioners give 1t their Endorsement. The
Commissioners some time ago prepared
a bill, which they are now supporting
Although two conferences have been
held between the Commissioners and the
conference, il has been impossible to
decide upon one form of legislation. The
conference, however, says that its bill
has received the Endorsement of many
of the citizens associations ond other
civic and commercial organizations, and
that It therefore well represents the
wishes of the people of the city with
respect to the transfer question.
"Our bill is the only one which would
bring about an absolutely satisfactory
state of affairs, similar to that which
the residents of New York are to reap
through the order of the public service
commission" said Mr.. Darr
'The Commissioners bill, which is
substitute for the universal transfer
measure introduced by Senator Works,
is defective, in that it fails to provide
for the issuance of transfer on a trans
fer bv the same company. If this meas
ure should be enacted into law, the re-
suit would be but little more satisfactory
than the conditions which now obtain.
Congress has never had such pre-
cedent for enacting universal transfer
legislation. in the District as It now pos
sesses, in view of the order OF the New
York public service commission.
I'VE want to be just as well on in the
District as are the people of New York,
and, for that reason, We are going ahead
with our own bill, which we consider
superior to that of the Commissioners"
A great mass meeting will be held by