The Washington herald., 1914-04-16
capital should
OWN CAR lines
Report Of Commissioners to
Congress Indorses the
Crosser Measure.
VITAL QUESTION TO CITY
Corporation Counsel Syme Declares
Municipal Utilities Are Inevitable
in the District.
QUESTION TO CITY

The District Commissioners yesterday
by reporting favorably on the Crosser
bill went on record for municipal owner
ship OF the street railways in Wash
ington.
Representative Robert Crosstr. Of Ohio.
introduced a bill providing for municipal
ownership and operation of street rail-
ways in the District. In their report TO
Congress yesterday the Commissioners
say they approve the bill for the reason
that they regard the furnishing of trans
portation as essentially a public func-
ton as the supplying Of water or lights
the furnishing of police and fire protec-
ton, and the carrying of mail
Authority to raise sufficient money %
the sale of bonds as proposed. in add
ton to the amount necessary &c paw Tor
the property acquired, and to PROVIDE
fund for expenditure during the hrst
months Of municipal operation. Is urged
by the Commissioners.
The report. written by Commissioner
Siddons, follows in part:
Vital Question 10 City.
1--WE approve the object of the bill and
recommend its enactment into law. Ade-
uuate means OF Transportation, such as Is
supplied by street railroads. are vital TO
the life of a city. Today no city OF the
size of the National Capital could long
survive the deprivation OF this form oil
Nothing more surely re
tards the growth and development OF
such a city as the failure OF its street
railroads to keep pace with the tncreas-
ing needs of its people in this respect.
Tested by any theory of what consti-
tutes a municipal function, this means OF
completely meets the test.
Examine the nature OF the service it
renders and il is at once seen to be mo-
nopolistic in character. And when TO this
is added the consideration that II re-
qures special and exclusive privileges IN
the occupation and use OF public streets.
for which special privileges in the Dis
trict neither the Federal nor the District
has ever received any compensation. and
they are likely to be made the basis OF
large claims of alleged franchise charac-
ter. its monopoly features become even
more apparent. These are offensive TO
modern thought upon the subject and the
irritating cause of an ever-inCreasinS
volume of criticism and complaint.
Struggle Is Inevitable.
To leave TO private individuals. as a
source of private profit. the performance
OF such a public function is to insure the
of a struggle between public
duty and public needs on the one hand
and private interest and profit on the
other. that in the nature of things grows
sharper with the passing years, and in
the opinion OF the Commissioners no
amount of regulation by public authori-
ties. accomplished only after the laws de-
lays are over. will end the lrrepressible
conflict that necessarily arises when the
avarice of man Is set against a public
duty that Is laid upon him to perform.
1T may he urged in opposition to this
bill that regulation of such public utiii-
ties should first be tried under the law.
enacted a year ago. creating public
utilities commission for the District. But
il should be pointed out that there exist
n the District two street railroad systems
which for considerable distances parallel
each other and needlessly duplicate much !
Of the service each system renders. This
condition will undoubtedly render morc
difficult and perple king such regulation as
the commission may be able to effect, |
and increases the complexity Of the prob |
ems involved in dealing with the sub |
leCt. and il forms, in the Judgment of |
he Commissioners. an additional reason |
or the enactment OF the bill into law.
Perhaps the requirement in section .
hat the Commissioners shall institute, |
by petition. before the utilities commits |
sion a proceedings of condemnation, is !
and the matter might be |
simplihed by directing the commission to |
proceed to a condemnation OF the rail- |
-oads for the purpose of their acquisition |
0y the municipal government.
1t is suggested also that authority |
should be given to the Commissioners to |
-aise sufficient money. by the sale Of |
bonds as proposed. in addition to the |
amount required to pay for the Proper
les acquired. to provide a fund avail
lhle for current expenditures during the
irst months Of municipal operation"
Syme Iadorses Principle.
Commenting upon the report. Conrad |
H. Syme. corporation counsel, said:
The question of the municipal owner
ship of the street railway and the light
nE companies is question not of ex-
but of public right.
Municipal ownership is coming in the
District. because of all cities Washing
.on is the one in which il is most prac,