The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-12
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP GAINING
GROUND

GROUND
In the last session Of Congress the
Crosser bill, providing for public
ownership Of the street railways of
the District, was reported from the
House District Committee by Q vote
of 8 to 8.
This session It comes out with a
vote Of 8 to 5, and 1t is said that at
least three, probably four, Of the
committeeman who were not pres
ent would. If voting, have favored
the measure. It can no longer be
charged that the bill has been re-
ported on a fluke. The full member
ship Of the committee is twenty-one |;
of which eleven and probably twelve
are in favor Of this program.
Sooner or later-probably at the
next session Of Congress, beginning
in observation-disclosures will be a real
fight over this measure. It is hardly
hoped that a vote can be forced at
the present session, because Of the
pressure of other matters and the
determination to get away in time
for the campaign. But it is palmer
today than ever before that the era
of private transportation ownership
in this city is drawing to close; and
It is doing SO because private owner
ship here has failed to justify itself.
There ought, of course, to be only
a single system Of street railways in
this city. The corporations owning
rival systems have been fighting for
privileges rather than for the right
to serve the public well. For years
the financial policy of one company
has been based on the determined
purpose to absorb the other and
carve a "melon" in the operation.
The public and Congress have come
to realize exactly what this situation
is. what it means, and the necessity
of preventing such an outcome. The
two corporations have insistently
refused to grant universal transfers;
yet had they done SO they might
have allayed much Of the popular an
tagonism.
The Crosser bill was drawn with
great care, has been submitted to
excellent legal authorities, and is
believed by those competent. to pass
on its plan, to be fair to both the
corporations and the public interest
The street railway properties are to
be condemned, in a proceeding di.
rected by the Public Utilities Com.
mission. They are to be taken
over at the price fixed upon, and the
purchase is to be financed by a sale
of 1866 bonds, which shall not be 9
liability of the Federal Government.
Some of the bills opponents have
protested that the condemnation
might result in fixing a price so high
that it would not be desirable to take
the properties. This seems quite the
most unlikely outcome; the Public
Utilities Commission is exactly the
body that will not make a valuation
in excess Of that at which it would
be willing to take the properties.
Concerning the prospects for pass
age Of the Crosser measure, there II
widespread belief, based on the ex
pressions Of members Of Congress IL
recent years, that a comfortable ma
jority in both House and Senate will
be mustered for the bill. Many Sen
ators have expressed confidence thai
there was a big majority for 6
proper measure to accomplish this
end. The situation in the House i,
less plain: but those members WHIT
have been testing out opinion in tha
body are assured that its preponder
ance favors public ownership.