The Washington times., 1913-02-27
SOME VERY SENSIBLE ADVICE.

Every public service corporation manager in this
town could earn about half the annual salary his
stockholders pay him, by reading and then needing
an editorial in the current Electric Railway Journal
The editorial is addressed to Washington condi.
tions 1t deals with the refusal of the street rail-
ways to obey the herdic transfer exchange law.
The Electric Railway Journal is an organ of the
street interests 1t is actuated by no altruisms
1t doesn't pretend to the public. Ii is sustain
ing the thesis taat street railways must have more
income and give fewer transfers
But" it says, I'VE are discussing this case as
exhibit of how not to be popular. Refusal to obey
until it is adjudicated law conferring privileges
valued by the public and not in themselves burden
some upon the railways is not good way to secure
justice and good will from public opinion"
The Journal article recites the facts concerning
the Sixteenth street herdic line, the passage of the
law requiring exchange of transfers between the
by the railways that they would not obey the law.
The article proceeds:
The temper of the public under these conditions is not
improved by the publication of three old letter from
of the companies refusing to enter into the transfer
arrangement later made obligatory by Congress- for the
that the proposal did commend itself either
grounds of profit or policy.
This may be so, and, further, the law may be
sttutona but in popular estimation is the law until it
wiped off the statute books by the courts Naturally the
Washington public wants to know why the law should not
be executed for the benefit of the public instead of
pended at the demand of the railways until the courts de-
eide upon its constitutionaty If after year two OF
delay the courts declare the law to be that it
within the powers of Congress to enact the public has
redress for the deprivation has suffered On the other
hand if the railway companies complied with the law and
it later invadaed they would lose than the
cost of carrying few transfer passengers And against
this loss there would be the profit of having obeyed the law
IL
of coach transfer law of the fear that it
be construed establishing precedent that would
adequate for the railways But this does
not appease it only further irrates the public who can
hardly be expected cheeuy to deprivation of
granted privilege because it might be the forernner of
further benefits
The Electric Railway Journal is no sociafstic
organ; no demagogic pander to anarchistic opinion
of the rabble 1t is an intelligent organ of the street
car interests.
Intelligent mind YOU That represents the diff
ference between it and public service corporation
of this town. 1t understands what our
local magnates to have been incapable of grasp
ing that square deal TO THE PEOPLE is the only
that will insure square deal FROM
THE PEOPLE. On this point the Journals observa-
tions deserve the prayerful consideration of every
franchise operating magnate. Will they not be good
enough-to themselves-to read these suggestions:
That good feeling between utility companies and the
public be brought about and maintained on other
foundation than confidence in the honesty fairness and e
ency of these companies is plain to ALL Frequently in
Justice done to the public service corporation when
it is at fault frequently the sins of the fathers are
visited upon descendants who not only free from blame
but who making effort to redeem the faults and
mistakes of the past But how this condition be cured
public confidence gained fresh cause is given for
legitimate complaint and texts are provided for the
corporation of reasonable well
able critics?