South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-18
AND STREET CARS
.sEPARATE PROBLEMS.

Very naturally the anti-jitney agi-
sators-or agitators for jitney reguIa-
uon,-have eventually reached the
point where they want the jitney prop
ositiOn and the street railway prob
lem separated. Mayor Keller is ac-
cused Ct doubling the permanency of
the jitney bus and Of merely employ
Ing 1t as a temporary cxpedient 10
club something out Of the street rail
way people. In view OF the fact that
the anti-jitney agitators-for it is reg
slation that would put the jtneys out
OF business that the regulation pro-
ponents really want,-are so closely
allied with the street railway com
pany. afraid that the jitneys Will be-
come "a permanent proposition. we do
not wonder that they should want the
problems separated We note. how
ever. that in every opposing word.
urging municipal control Of this new
brand OF transportation, defense OF
the street railways is always lingering
somewhere Just around the corner.
Note this from our Main ST. contem-
pOrary:
IT Mayor Keller really has the
interests of the city at heart. If
he IS concerned with protecting
future generations as well as the
present public. he ought to spend
some time studying the jitney as
an economic factor i'm the COM
munity which i'm some form bids
fair 90 become "a fixture in mu-
uiciDai societv For that
present general public that Mr.
Keller and the council take up
some form of regulation and not
90 stop there. but to continue TO
study the problem TO meet and
handle 10 with enlightenment as
we'll as zeal.
And i'm this we are agreed. Mayor
Keller and the council should spend
some time studying the jitney as an
economic factor" . that event
ually il may be able TO meet the prob
lem and handle it with enlighten-
ment as well as zeal" That is ex-
actly what Hiram Johnson, governor
of California. told the street railway
magnates of that state when they
presented him with a bill passed by
the legislature. TO regulate jiUneys off
the map. Read IT:
The jitney bus is something
new and undeveloped to any such
extent as admits of intelligent
regulation. The problem needs
10 be studied I shall refuse to
sign any such law, or any law
dealing with jitney buses other
wise than as automobiles, until
their status has been more clear
IN ascertained, and their value TO
the community Is more definitely
established.
bill was introduced in the 1915
legislature of Indiana 10 put jitney
buses under the public service COM
mission undoubtedly the product OF
the indianapolis street railway people.
The senate killed il for the very same
reason that the California governor
vetoed such a law. Sen. Harmon
pleaded long and patheucally against
the jitney buses. lie had all the
people in Indianapolis ran over and
killed. so anxious was he for the
public safety" The offense that he
took az being questioned as TO whether
the indianapolis street railway COM
pany was back of his BILL was quite
sad. though ne did admit something in
defense of the street railways that
they represent large investments that
should he protected, etc.
And what our contemporary sug-
geStS is exactly what Mayor Keller is
doing-studying the problem The
common council we also understand,
is TO study the problem. And when
il is igured out the sort OF regula-
ton that the city needs, we pause to
hope that we viii get regulation, not
of the hurried destructive sort that
me street railway maguates want. but
OF the constructive saving sort that
viii ennure 10 the benefit of the
people of South Bend
We hope that the city OF south
Bend will know better than ever again
a. grant a perpetual or exclusive franz
ehise to any public utility or indulge
in any regulations likely 90 create
mon polies.-or preserve them
"
MIR. HAHN EXPLAINS.