The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-04
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Be Fair to Jitneys

To the Editor of The Age Herald
 Your Sunday morning paper contains an interesting cartoon, pertaining to ad- vertising, which conveys a truthful idea regarding the results of advertising There can he no doubt about the results of advertising in good paper well dis played.
 That it pays to advertise is brought out in various ways through the press. There is page advertisement in one of the Bir- mingham papers regarding fair competi- tion' between the ''jitney'' and the aBir- mingham Railway, Light and Power com pany.' It is doubtless a paying proposi- ton to a paper with wide circulation to publish a page of advertising matter for any concern at q good rate per inch Such patronage is we'll worth showing appreciation for-even if you have to show in gentle way partiality to the concern in trouble. This can he done without the least idea of creating in the minds of the people that a paper who is fortunate to get the business from a concern would lend helping hand, in sly way, to the corporation seeking to stamp sout legiti- mate competition, that they may, from how on, as in the past hold & mighty sword over the patrons of Birmingham forcing them to bow down to them. and be devoured gradually from high electric current cost, and gas bills, such as we are now facing
 The time has come when corpora ations realize that the voice of the people is nr6 .xI. wielded heretofore by corporations. who seek to master things to suit their own pocketbooks. without regarding the vel fare and interest of patrons who are re- sponsihle fors their existence. The paper referred to said that the jitney subject had been discussed at length, and now is the time for action. Lets see if they dis cuss it longer, or if this corporation ceases the articles numerically displayed. and systematically thought out to sway the minds of patrons of both the Birmingh ham Railway, Light and Power company and the ''jitney bus" They ask if such com petition is fair? l ask them if it is fair to deprive these jitneys the use of the same thoroughfare that they have carefully selected upon which to build their car tracks, that they may conveniently pack their cars from the crowded people on the streets and haul them home for a dis
 
 damned in the car, hanging on the straps pumping into each other, and becoming weary from standing-all for the want of seat on street car? Is this fair to the patrons?
 Let's get to facts in this problem soon to be solved. We are told that when a street car is filled to it's seating capacity the car is paying dividends on the money invested. How many more people ride car, or did ride them in Birmingham who did not get seats for which they paid, than are crowded into a jitney? The jitney does not keep you standing as long on the same trip, and so far | have not observed any more danger from the 1itney than the street car. In fact there has not been law suit yet. so far as can learn, suing the jitney for damages for carrying you by the station, insulting you while riding on them, etc, but the courts are full of damage suits of ever, nature against the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company some fair ant some unfair, but every little damage is paid in suits won, and an honest suit i. fought by the Birmingham Railway, I,igh, and Power company with as much win as dishonest suit. therefore the common carrier protection is worth very littl, to the common people. who cannot follow the suits through the courts as they arc