Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-03

the mOnOpoliSts and politicians. The
initiative and referendum giving the
people effective and continuous control
10 essential to render public ownership
OF the government certain and secure"
But the initiative and full referendum
are not essential to direct government by
utilize them. And II the people have in
fact control Of the government, whether
in New Zealand or the United States,
they will also control the railway in the
peoples interest whether or not they own
and manage the railroads. .directlys and
government Ownership~is thus not essen
tial to the peoples control. 80
Street Railway Control.
In New Zealand many Of the tramways
are municipality owned. as in Wellington.
the capital. Bad as conditions are in
this respect under trolley syndicate man.
agement in many cities OF the United
States. these conditions would hardly be
improved by turning over control to the
boss and the machine OF the average
American municipality. The governments
Of our great cities must first be taken
from bosses and organized npn-taxpayers
before government control becomes a
blessing. In Washington private corpors
ate control is now under such direct and
effective government supervision that no
thought Of government ownership arises.
Undoubtedly great evils have accompa-
MED the vast development benefits. Of the
American private ownership system.
Administration of railroads and tram
ways for the benefit of the peo-
pie without unjust discrimination and
without being used To build up or
maintain monopolistic trusts or COM
blnes must be secured in the United
States, II not by government ownership
then by strong government control, using
the interstate commerce commission and
all laws on the statute book for this
purpose, strengthened by amendment IL
necessary. Thus either by government
ownership with Improvement and purifca-
ton or the government or by. stringent
governmental regulation of railways
(steam and electric) the sound doctrine
must be enforced that franchises to pub
lie utilities corporations are not gifts but
grants for which compensation must be
made to the public.
The grant of temporary use of the
streets should be accompanied by com.
pensation to the public for such use and
by retention of power by the government
to regulate such use in the public inter.
est. The corporations have clamored tina,
ownership and control are inseparable
that the government should not exercise
control unless 1t acquires ownership. Bui
this argument has been properly disre
garded. 1t has been held that the rights
powers and privileges given to a common
carrier corporation by the public furnish
the necessary consideration for the -reten.
ton by the public of certain contro
of the corporations which it has created
and in effect endowed. This conclusion
applies both to steam railways and t
tramways and to national, state ano
municipal control. The interstate com
merce commission regulates common car.
riers between the states with wholesome
results. beneficial to everybody. 1t checks
monopolistic favoritism and discrimination
on one side and drastic granger anti
railroad legislation Oh the other. SO in
municipalities and states in legislative
action on street railway franchises the
same sound principle has been recognized
and applied.
Railway Development in Washington
| The United States has been under OBJ
| servation as the direct regulator of steam
| and tram railways in Washington, the
| national city. In this District under the
| exclusive control of Congress the ma
| tional legislature in direct legislation con
corning common carriers at the capita
has exercised effectively Its reserve powel
OF control and its exclusive power of leg
islation. In response to The Stars Ions
and vigorous campaign against urbar
| grade crossings and the discreditable 10
cal steam railroad stations and termina
facilities Congress finally abolished thu
| grade crossings. and in cooperation Will
broad-minded and public-spirited Presi
dent Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company and with the assistance o
Architect Durham tone OF Washington
greatest benefactors) substituted for thu
i rattie-trap stations of the past as beauti
full and useful a railroad station as cal
be found anywhere In the world. So IN
response to The Stars campaign agains