The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-09
BOWIE WRITES ON \
 PROBLEM QF J|TNEY
Danger of Impairing City's Transportation Without
 Adequate Recompence

Sydney J. Bowie has written the following open letter to the city con- nissioners on the iitney question:
 Birmingham, May 8, 1915. Hon. George B. Ward. President; Hon.
 James Weatherly, Hon. A. o. Lane.
 City Board of Commissioners. City.
 Gentlemen: So far as the iitney is concerned. l am like, the little boy with the bread on the shelf that was out of his reach: It ain't nothing to me-
 have no interest in either party to the controversy before the comrlis- sion. but there are certain collateral questions which have been raised and certain suggestions which have been made that are of much importance and In which l am deeply interested.
 Tt has been said in behalf of the continuation of the jitneys under pres- ont conditions that so far as the mani fest injustice to the street railways is concerned that should be cured by remission of taxes to an amount suf- ficient to make them whole.
 "rhe estimated loss to the street railway company is s200,000 a year. Figuring the tax rate at s2.35 per hum cred this would mean a reduction in tax values of about sS,000. 900, or an equivalent reduction in license. It has been stated in the press reports q did not hear it) that the jitneys claim that the business under present conditions Is unprofitab1e and that many of ths sIn will have to go out of business in the of tc lively early date. As soon as their cars wear out the business will, as to many of them, extingush itself. It IS. therefore, evident. if these statements sbe correct, that the business is unprc- : ductiye. The city of Birmingha1d s rart of the s200,000 which it is pro- posed to make up to the street railway company by remission of taxes would ste $S5, 106.3S, if taken out of the prop srty tax, the balance to be distributed htetp cen the state and county in the Iroportion of 67 and 75. If taken out of licenses the city's proportion would he greater This, l submit is too heavy subsidy to be paid by the city and county and state in order to prop up for awhile longer losing and hopeless cause
 MT. Percy, in one of his recent com
 
 ought to be made more attractive to the laboring man; that the public it : self should pay for park and play grounds and the like, and not leave them to the precarious support of pri- vate charity. The Associated Charities ask to be taken over. Mir Percy also insists, as I understand, that taxes are too low. In all of these suggestions l thoroughly agree. MT. Percy has taken broad and high ground and cordially commend him for it. But,Sof course, MT. Percy knows that a tax Increase can only be obtained through constitutional amendment, and he also knows that it is matter of pure speculation as to whether the legisla- ture will submit such an amendment to the people in accordance with the recommendation Of the committee of 100, of which he was a distingushed ed rnember. He also knows that 1t is d matter -ot speculation as to whether the people would authorize an increase In sthe tax rate in the event the amend rent should be submitted and adopted. MT. Percy's guns should this point le directed not at the commission Lut at the legislature, which at present has the exclusive power in the prem ises. 1 believe with his earnest and able help actively exerted when The legislature convenes. it may be possible to secure the adoption of such an amendment.
 But what I am concerned in just now is: How can the public in Bir- lningham, under present constitutional limitations as to the tax rate and un- der present inadequate revenues. af- ford to still further reduce those reve- nues by practical remission of the bulk of the street railway company S taxes and at the same time add enor- inously to the city's operating ex- penses to do the things which Mir Percy so wisely urges Given a reve- r.ue that is alre ldy inadequate, reduce that by S6b,000 per annum and increase the disbursements to a heavy extent. and the commission will be like a stick already too short, which is being whit tied away at both ends. The people arc not in humor to vote another de- ficiency bond issue soon.
 Hut there are other considerations iearing on this matter just as vital as the one discussed
 "The street railway company 9op- crates it's service average of about IS hours day. The jitneys operate about one-half of the time. The Tide water gives a continuous ride nearly 1C miles ir length for D cents It Is forced 10 do so under its charter. The Bir- rningham Railway, Light and Power company does the same thing through the transfers Under the stimulation Of the street railway system every sub- urb in Birmingham has been built up.