The Washington times., 1915-05-12
URGES REGULATION
Of J|TNEY BUSES AS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Chamber of Commerce Passes
Resolution After Long Dis
cussion.
WARM DEBATE IS HELD
Merchant Marine Indorsed and
Plans for Outing In June
Started.

after a long session during which the
1itney bus was discussed pro and con-
the Washington Chamber of CommercE
at a meeting last night. went on record
as favoring the regulation of the jitney
bus service the same as other public
utilities are regulated in the District OF
Columbia.
Discussion regarding the jitney started
Immediately following the reading OF
the report of the special committee APP
pointed to investigate the jitney which
recommended that the bus operators be
. required to give a bond or some other
form of surety so that passengers might
nore reGourse IN case ade OF ne rscom
mendations as to whether the buses
should be regulated as public service
corporation, and this question was i'm
mediately raised on the floor.
Step Toward Regulation.
Chaplin Brown suggested that the
committee Ne instructed to investigate
further and report at the next meeting
stating that in view of the report OF
Corporation Counsel Syme, who investi.
gated jitneys in other cities, he did not
feel that the committee had gone deer
suggestion could be acted upon. E. c.
Graham, member of the special COM
mittee, arose IN defense of the jitney.
The committee believes that the jit'
ney is coming here; said he, and COM
ing soon, and recommended that the
operators be required to give surety
bonds as the first step toward regula-
tion.
Mr.. Graham referred to the report OF
the transportation committee of the
IN nd hn n ~
in which 1t was sta ted that the street
railroads had suffered from Is to 20 per
cent in their net incomes, and said that
he did not believe the jitney would ever
replace the street railways.
THE jitney will eventually simply
mean 25-cent to &-cent hack fare to
any part of the city, said he
Robert Z. L. Moncure. vice presi-
dent of a company now operating a
jitney service from Alexandria county
said:
votes for women are coming. and the
5itney will no more hurt the street
railways than will votes for women
hurt the men.
grafton. and will have 100 running be-
fore the summer Is over" ne told the
members.
'As to regulation, we want the safet,
2f the public protected and are per
fsotly willing to be properly regulated
Snort Haul Service.
Attorney Joseph d. Sullivan stated
that IN his opinion 1t was a most un-
wise thing to turn loose in the city
900 or 400 unbridled and irrespon-
sible'' Jitney operators in competition
with street railways. He pointed out
that in no city are the jitneys max
Ing u haul longer than three miles
and that the bulk of their business is
tho short haul traffic, and stated that
the railroads could not be expected
70 continue the long haul business at
; cents If the titneys were allowed to
no characterized as the "cream.'
"If you are going to let the jitneys
compete with the street railways, which
their tracks and equipment" said he.
make them give the same service
that they give. Make them take the
long as we'll as the short haul. and
make them maintain regular sched-
ule. Also make them pay taxes toward
the upkeep of the streets over which
they run, as do the street railways"
You can't stop it. you can't stop it,
shouted Mr., Moncure. springing to his
feet. THE jitney is coming and coming
to stay Why should we be required to
give bonds when we have $4,000 cSpi-
tai? Do you require bonds Of hack
Fred J. Mersheimer opposed the jit-
ney. There Is only one question to my
mind involved In this proposition" said
he, "and that is II these jitney opera
tors are asking for franchise which
our. street railway companies have
built up In this city, why should thel
not be required to give for cents just
what we give. We are required to
carry out every time table and sched-
ule: Will the jitneys do that?"
Charles w. Clageett said IF you allow
the jitneys to PICK up the passengers OF
the public utility corporations. you will
sist that zones be established or else
they will cut down the service to the
rural districts. If the railroad com
panies cannot make profit on the short
haul, then they will have to cut out
the long haul"
FavOrs Regulation.
After long discussion and when vari-
Gus resolutions had been offered only
49, 10 he blocked by others, former Senator
Marion Butler moved that the chamber
adopt resolution in favor of regula.
tion of the jitneys as a public utility.
1t was adopted
Secretary Tom Grant read a communi.
cation from the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States in which the
chamber was requested to go on RECORD
as favoring one of several plans sug,
gested for building up a marchant ma.
rine. On motion of Senator Butler 6
resolution indorsins merchant ma,
rine regardless of method. was adopted
President p. I. Moran appointed Mr.
Butler chairman of a special committe,
on merchant marine, and directed tha
copy of the resolution as adopted
be forwarded the national organization
On the committee with Mr.. Butler ar,
S. T. Cameron, E. c. Graham. o. Metz
croft, Chaplin Brown, Louis Gutenberg
Odell Smith and ]. d. Sullivan.
The chamber voted to continue thu
custom of donating amedal for thu
captain of the winning company o
high school cadets in the competitiv,
drill, and to the best marksmen in tn
rife practice contests. as in the past.
Isaac Cans, chairman of the outini
committee. secured the adoption of
resolution that the outing be held Il
June at Marshall Hall, and that 1t b.
an all-day affair with n barbecue.