South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-03
BUS ORDINANCE
GOES To COUNCIL
Measure Approved by a Vote of
Five to Two at Commit
see Meeting.

The passage OF the ordinance pro-
viding for the regulation of jitney
buses in South Bend was practically
assured last night when the commit
tee OF the whole by a vote Of TO
approved a resolution 20 the council
approving the ordinance. Favorable
action came after expressions by each
OF the councilmen present and de-
native remarks by City Atty. Eli
r. Seebirt and Atty. Charles Z.
Drummond upon the question of the
legality and validity Of the ordinance.
one Of the outstanding features Of
the committee was discussion OF
the general truthfulness Of the menu
bers OF the legal profession which was
apparently inadvertently started by
Councilman Goebel.
Jere T. Hagerty presided over the
meeting in the absence OF Chairman
Buechner and called upon the mem
bers OF the council to express their
sentiments regarding the jitney ordi-
nance Councilman GOebeI brought 10
mind the statements made at a re-
cent meeting by Isaac Kane Parks.
Mr.. Parks, according to Goebel inti-
mated that the lawyers would Deneht
most through a bonding Of the jitney
bus drivers.
Says Truth a Rarity.
During the course Of his remarks
Goebel made It very plain that ne
was not In favor Of any action which
would be primarily for the benefit of
the legal profession and incidentally
remarked that he thought that if ever
Mr.. Parks told the truth he told it
then." meaning when he addressed
the council, and also adding that
truth was a rarity or words to that
effect among lawyers and judges"
A moment later City Atty. See
Dirt was called upon to state his
opinion regarding certain phases OF
the ordinance but in his opening state !
ment he took occasion TO disagree
with GOebel.
81 do not entertain the same idea as
10 the ordinance as does Mr.. Parks
declared Mr.. Siebirt, neither do 1 !
entertain the same contempt that Mr. |
GOebel seems to have for lawyers and ]
judges"
Councilman Goebel received another |
jab from the hands of Attorney Drum !
mond when the latter was called on. |
In his opening remarks Mr.. Drum /
mond said that he hardly believed |
that ne should talk considering the |
weight that the words of any lawyer !
might have upon the minds of certain /
OF the councilmen, but asserted that
on second thought he believed that /
lawyers were as apt to tell the truth /
in the majority of cases as were busi- |
ness men and men in other profess |
siOns
Questions Legality.
An important question was raised I
by Mr.. DrummOnd as to the strength /
of the ordinance He said tn he ]
did not believe that a supreme court :
in the United States would uphold /
an ordinance classifying a class as |
he believed the jitney bus ordinance |
L. Ia, 4
laws must be universal in their juris- /
dictiOn. applying TO the humble. the /
weak and the strong alike, declared |
the attorney. He said that as he un- |
derstOod the ordinance. ii did not ap-
ply 70 garage owners and taXicab Op-
orators anG that only the jitney busses |
must be licensed He asserted that |
he believed that this was a classical |
tion OF class and therefore not legal |
City Atty. Seebirt replied by stat !
ing that the CiassihCati ton was made Z
properly His contention was that all /
vehicles soliciting and carrying pas !
sengers on the streets were liable UNI /
der the ordinance. Then Mr. Drum /
mond cited the case of the taXicab D
drivers who met passengers at the /
various trains and asked If they came
under the ordinance. The reply was /
IN the affirmative.
RidicuIcs Failure Stories.
r &
bond would give the Weather men
a monopoly on the jitney bus busi- /
ness. He also ridiCuled the idea that
the iitney buses were responsible for /
the failure OF certain street railways /
as has been reported recently. Tie
pointed out the story that the street
railway company which failed at Gary
recently was not as a result Of jitrey
bus competition. but asserted that "it
was hot air line, nothing but a wind
scheme OF promoters built on wind
who hoodwinked a number Of people
10 buy a lot Of nothing He declared
that there was no foundation FOR the
report that the jitney bus was re-
sponsible for the failure Of such con- /
Germs
Thompson and Seebirt Opposed.
Councilman Thompson and Siefirt
opposed the passage OF the resolution.
Both stated that they felt that the
titney bus was an unequaled facility
FOR the poor man and since business
had been conducted here without any
serious difficulties having arisen, ii
would be better idea 10 await a time
before regulating the traffic.
Councilman Lang introduced an
amendment 10 the ordinance which
provides that il not go into effect un-
I'll Jan 1. 1915 This was passed
Councilman Hagerty being in the
chair waived his right TO vote.
Following the settlement Of the iit-
ney bus question the plumbing ordi-
nance was read by the clerk. Dis
cussion OF the ordinance was de-
ferred until Friday night when a Spe-
cial meeting Of the committee has
been called. AT that time the plumb
ers OF the city will De invited 20 dis |
cuss the ordinance with the council !
men.
Three ordinances for appropriation |
OF money were voted upon favorably. |
Appropriations OF $3.50 to the city /
cemetery fund. $4,000 20 the streets
and alleys department OF the board /
pf public works, and S1,665-O5 TO the I
park board were approved.