The Washington times., 1914-06-03
CROSSER BILL IS
FAVORED BEFORE
HOUSE HEARING
Eitorial Writer and Real Estate
Expert Indorse Municipal
Ownership Measure.
&c. WELLIVER QUESTIONS
ACCURACY OF FIGURES
Elmer E. Rogers Makes Extend
ed Argument on Principles
Involved.

Municipal ownership OF the street
railways Of Washington was advo-
Gated by two additional witnesses be-
fore the House District Committee to-
day. Judson c. welliver, editorial
writer on The Times, and Elmer E.
Rogers, a real estate operator, added
the weight Of their arguments to the
municipal ownership cause
Mr.. welliver's testimony was inter-
ripted by roll call of the House, the
coNmittee adjourning until afternoon.
when he was asked to return.
Mr.. welIiver questioned the correct
ness of figures submitted to the COM
mittee, by representatives OF the local
street railway interests, alleging that
municipal ownership had been failure
in more than 300 instances. These fig
ures, he contended, were taken from q
publication called Municipal owner
ship" which presented a one-sided view
Of the question. and were inaccurate.
Questioned Reports.
The newspaper man also questioned
the value Of the so-called report OF the
National Civic Federation investigators
who looked into municipal owner
ship In England.
uabie, he said, but he doubted the i'm
portanceo It he findings, which, he said,
Individual views of the Investigators.
That the Interborough Metropolitan
Company, of New York, mad contributed
fourth-fi of the expense Nmoney for
the investigation was asserted by Mr..
Welliver.
Il favor the Crosser bill in part, -
said Mr. W'elliver," because OF the fact
thar l believe in the public ownership
Of utilities which are essentially
nIonopohstic In character, and on the
further ground that there are condi-
lions in Washington which cannot be
remedied short of a unified transporta-
ton service. which. apparently. is not
TO be achieved except under municipal
ownership"
Mr.. Welliver referred to the failure
TO obtain universal transfers IN Wash
fngton and cited the service at the
Union Station terminus as indicative OF
the inconvenience to which the pubic
Is put.
Universal Transfers.
"A system that takes a Passenger a
greater distance than it should be
necessary for him to travel is wasting
the time of the passenger and the serV-
ice of the company" he said. detailing
the windings in and out OF the Wash
ingtonr always, minus direct routes OF
universal transfers
Universal transfers. according to my
observation he said, are generally
accepted where unified ownership be-
gins"
The control Of the Potomac Electric
Power Company by the Washington
Railway and Electric Company, he
said, was another argument for munich
pal ownership here. Mr.. Welliver also
spoke Of the need OF the development of
Great Falls as a power and light me-
dunn for the city.
Mr.. welliver cited Holyoke, Mass, as
town where electricity Is furnished
at 6 cents per kilowat hour, in compar-
ison Vith 10 cents here, as indicating
the advantages of municipal ownership
OF lighting systems.
Mr. winslow was evincing interest in
the Massachusetts, figures when the
committee recessed.
Mr.. Rogers read an extended argu-
rnent In favor Of municipal owner
ship, the nature OF which caused Mr..
winslow to ask IL he believed in So
cfsIiEm. Mr.. Rogers said he was a
frm believer in municipal ownership.
hut said he had stumped for Bryan in
three campaigns.
Private ownership lies in the path
way OF the worlds progress" said
Mr. Rogers.