South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-16
~JITNEYsv AND SAFETY

'JITNEY =" AND SAFETY"
Efforts 10 capitalize the comment
OF Grand Rapids newspapers, either
the Press or the Herald, with respect
10 auto buses-commonly called sit
neys"-is but 10 provoke a smile on
the face of those who know anything
Of the relations Of the Grand Rapids
Street Railway Co, to these papers.
Benjamin Hanchett, president OF the
company. and in fact. Of the street
railway trust OF the state Of Michigan,
never asked anything Of either of
those papers that he didn't get. and
for quite sufficient reasons. If the
Press ever pretended favoritism for
the auto bus. il was merely another
CT it's clever maneuvers calculated TO
coax the owners into a trap by the
use Of molasses. rather than to try
10 drive them into one by spraying
them with vinegar. If the Press has
learned that its soft soap isn't work
ing. and that the .jitney'' owners are
not to be caught by it's sugared bait.
you may expect it henceforth to
spray Will vinegar quite dS NltlOuSly
as it formerly did with sweetness.
And it is pretty much the same
with the press throughout the coun-
try that has grown so anxious about
the auto buses, and. their need Of con-
troll. Pretenses of interest in the pub
lie safety is an excuse and not a rea-
son. II is a mere appeal to the public
sense Of fear. Anything TO win the
public approval even If they have to
scare It into existence. Rattle-headed
people are always afraid of autOmo-
biles and the auto bus is no more dan
gerous than the others. The principal
hatred OF them, so far as the public
is concerned, develops from being mis-
led. and, from occasional innate snob-
berry that resents the term "jitney'
because Of the suggestion that II is
the automobile of the poor Such
snObs will stand in approving awe OF
the millionaire, the street railway
magnate. and even the newspaper
publisher who can afford an autOmO-
bile and a chauffeur. TO violate the
law. or run over people with, but let
the poor man buy a seat for a nickel.
part OF which goes TO the bus owner
10 act as his chauffeur in driving him
home, and ii Immediately becomes a
great calamity.
We would like 10 see the South
Bend police force enforcing the state
automobile laws TO the full extent Of
preserving the public safety, but as
against al automobile owners as we'll
as against those who drive "jitneys."
This done and the needed public pro-
lection is amply cared for. The de-
mand for bonds or an indemnity fund
is class legislation and an imposition
unless it be made TO apply 10 automo-
biles generally 1t might not be so
much out OF place for the city 10 IL
cense the auto buses. at small fee.
for the purpose Of keeping track of
them. and. perhaps. for the purpose of
establishing terminals for them, but
that is as far beyond the state automo-
bile law as It can consistently go. The
cars should be kept within the legal
sreed, and not be allowed 10 carry
passengers on the steps; but why re-
quire a bond TO protect a fool who
would ride on the steps? As TO the
point that everybody should be fur
nished with a seat who rides in the
''jitney." we are heartily agreed. not
only as TO the "jitneys" but also IS TO
the street cars-which still have their
strap-hanging hours.
Indeed. no, we can see no message
for South Bend in the comment OF the
Grand Rapids newspapers, except that
Pres't Hanchett Of the Grand Rapids
street railway is being aptly encour-
aged by his friends