Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-27
DEFENDS HALF FARE
w. Nick. Clayton Takes Issue
With George E. Hamilton.
NOT A SERIOUS HARDSHIP
Even the Loss Claimed. He Says,
Would Be Trivial.
THINKS SYSTEM WOULD PAY
Believes School Children Would
Largely Ride in Cars Which
Otherwise Would Be Empty.
NOT A SERIOUS HARDSHIP
THINKS SYSTEM WOULD PAY

issue was taken today by W. Nick.
clayton. president of the Federation OF
citizens Associations, to the arguments
advanced yesterday by George L. Hamil-
ton, president Of the Capital Traction
Company. in a brief filed with the Dis
trict committee Of the House in opposi-
ton to the enactment of the Dyer bill
providing for half fares for school chill
dren. In an interview Mr.. Clayton took
up the points made by Mr. Hamilton and
answered them seriatim.
I'm the first place." said Mr. Clayton,
MIR. Hamilton says there is no reason
able demand or occasion for such tickets
in Washington, and if this be true it
seems that neither Mr.. Hamilton nor the
railway companies should have much
fear in accepting the half-fare measure.
If, as they say, most of the schools draw
their pupils from the neighborhoods in
which they are located, then there would
be so few children to ride on the cars
be so inconsiderable an item that it would
not be worth considering.
Termed Glass Distinction.
But in his very next paragraph Mr..
Hamilton takes the ground that there is
no foundation in reason or right for class
legislation Of this nature" Mr.. Clayton
continued. II submit that it was class
legislation which, in the beginning, gave
to the railroads the right to use the
streets of our city free Of cost, and they
have capitalized this free street space
and they pay dividends upon it. The rail-
firemen with no transportation charge
whatsoever. There is no legislation COM
polling them to do SO, but of their own
volition they have adopted this practice.
Obviously it is a question OF policy Tor
them to do SO. and there is no objection
to it that / can see. But in principle.
this is class distinction, and the en-
actment of the half-fare bill, even If 1t
could be called class legislation, would
be merely an extension of the service
which the railroads have elected to give.
"A gain, Mr.. Hamilton says that to COM
pei the companies to issue such tickets
would be to compel them to carry pas
Sengers at loss. And in this connection
Mr.. Hamilton presented figures showing
that the loss per passenger, If school chill
dren should be carried at half rates, would
be seven-tenths of cent. On an out
side estimate not more than 10000 school
children would use the street cars, and on
computation based upon two hundred
school days in a year the absolute maxi
mum loss would be no more than SIS, 1000,
which, if divided in half to each railroad.
would be $4,000 to each company. Last
year the Capital Traction Company alone
paid 100000 in dividends. and besides
carried some $4,000 into the surplus fund.
Surely the subtraction of $4,000 from a
profit of this size would make no very
material reduction in the dividend rate.
Thinks Profit Probable.
"And even if this should be true land
the contention is open to question:, be-
cause many of the children would use