Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-07
STREET RAILWAY FRANCHISE.

Editor Honolulu Star-BullCtn,
Sir: Enclosed please find an edi-
torial from, the Engineering News
!, Vol. 90. Page 729, which is timely and
interesting in view OF our present
| Rapid Transit franchise controversy
/ r. The heavy vote against a 25-year
extension to street railway franchises
which still have Is years to run, in
d, Kansas City on Dee. 16, 5000 is en-
couraging. The majority against the
! proposition was about 400 in total
CT 30,400, which latter figure We I'M
derstaEd, approached quite near the
! registration. This large majority
seems all the more remarkable when
il is understood that as an induce
ment to grant the franchise extension
the Metropolitan Street. Railway Co,
offered, virtually, a accent fare with
universal transfers. ~ :.-
/ Aside from unWillingneSs to vote
away street and attendant privileges
so long in advance, it is reported that
many voters felt that the company
would, sooner or later, find some way
| &c eyade the lower-fare and transfer
PROVISIONS Of the proposed franchise.
This is not at all surprising, in view
of recent action of street railway au-
J thorities in New York and Philadel.
! Ihia. We take, it, however, that the
! people of Kansas City were. more in
+ tluenced by the belief that there was
| no good and sufficient reason why
they should extend franchise so
F, long in advance of its expiration.
The company is reported as being
quite doubtful as to it's future and as
to the character of the service it can
render it's patrons, in view Of the neg
alive results Of the election. 1t states
that the franchise extension was nee
essary in order to enable it to raise
money to pay maturing bonds, build
extensions, buy, new cars" etc, and
/ that it frankly so stated to the pee
pie of Kansas City Frankness is
good, but assuming all this to be
/ true, for the purpose .ofargument, does
it not show something wrong in the
past or present management of the
company? The declaration is, in eff
feet, an assertion that the company
cannot meet it's obligations to its
creditors, on the one hand, nor it's
present and prospective patrons, en-
the other, without securing and then
capitalizing an extension to a fran
chise. that still has is years to run.
Evidently the voters of Kansas City
were not convinced that such was the
case. Probably many of them were
of the opinion that a good part of
this franchise-extension capitalization
would go into the pockets of insiders
and at the same time be added to
the watered stock on which street
car riders would be expected to pay
dividends. Possibly, the people of
Kansas City may have to wait six
teen years before they get Accent
fares, but at any rateathey have rot
Sold their ehildren's birthright for a
mess of pottage. If they have the
intelligence and determination shown
in the recent election campaign and
victory they will yet secure Mi that
is legitimately due them in 10th fare
reduction and improved service. Be
fore 16 years are passed we trust that
Missouri and at least the majority of
other states will have public-ServiCe
commissions to control street" rail-
way and other franchise companies in
the interest Of both investors and
patrons. This is already partly true
in Massachusetts, New York and Wis
consin, although there remains some
thing to be done in them as regards
the regulation, of fares and transfers.