The Washington herald., 1913-09-22
PUBLIC INVITED
TO TAXI HEARING
Commission Is Quite Anxious
for Testimony from
Citizens.
PRIVACY" QUESTIONED
Point at Issue Is Whether Cabs Are
private" Vehicles as
Claimed.
PRIVACY" QUESTIONED

Any citizen convinced that the taxicat
companies, as public corporations, should
be regulated by the Public Utilities Com
mission as a protection to the public
will be permitted to testify before the
commission as to why the concern;
should not be permitted to continue oper.
alton as private" concerns.
Any bit of evidence which can be
shown to prove that the companies are
common carriers. carrying anybody who
wishes to ride in their cabs. and pay their
rates, will be welcomed by the commits
sion at the hearing to be given the
public and the companies at the District
Building Wednesday.
Corporation Counsel Thomas, who will
represent the citizens of the District at
the hearing, declared last night that ali
who see fit to complain regarding the
local taXicab situation will be heard by
the commission at the hearing.
Whether or not the companies are 10
continue to arbitrarily fix prices and run
their services to suit themselves hinges
on whether the commission adjudges
them public or private concerns. Should
they, through their able lawyers. find a
loophole in the law and maintain their
status in the eyes of the commission OF
being private concerns, then the public
mas Hb ItuEtSS -tAttDl ltklbidllOI 10 Alt
contrary from Congress.
Many witnesscs Expected.
On the other hand, If the puh con-
vinces the commission that the concerns
are doing a public service. operating as
common carriers, just as the street car
companies, they will have to abide by
the restrictions placed on them by the
commission, the peoples agent
1t is expected that scores of public
spirited citizens will flock to the hearing
with evidence to sustain the charge that
the concerns are nothing but plain COM
mon carriers.
How can they be construed as private
concerns?
Signs placed In their cabs cry This is
a private hack" and declare that you or
anyone else who enters the yehicle-and
pays the priCe-must consider the ''pri-
vate' status Of said vehicle.
Only one answer comes to all questions
of why the concerns consider their ser
vices Of a private nature and that is
that we do our business with the hotels
with whom we have contracts. There
fore We are engaged in a private hack
ing business the same as livery stables.
Is it not true that any pedestrian can
walk into a hotel and hire one OF the
cabs at the stand in front of the place
standing on the streets of the people for
which privilege these private concerns"
pay not a penny?
Value OF Hotel Contract.
Because their private hacking" is done
through the medium of a hotel to any
citizen who desires to ride in their cabs
instead OF catching a street car at
nearby corner are the concerns TO be
considered other than common carriers?
Does that contract with the hotel which
gives them privileges, the use OF the
street in front of the hotels-privileges
which the poor horse Cabbie is denied
enable them to do d public service as a
private concern?
II the fact that the companies conduct
their common carrying through the
medium Of the hotels places them out of
the pale of regulation then the injustice
in rates and service which the people
are suffering will continue. 1t is one of
the vital problems which the Public
I I'tilities Commission is called upon TO
decide in trying to protect the public
from corporations which hold arbitrary
sway in doing business with the people