The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-20
Topeka Demonstration Against
City Officials Action.
Men Are Up in Arms, Backed
by Union Labor.
PETITIONS CIRCULARS IN CITY
Appeal to Citizens to Aid Them
in Unfair Treatment.
All Union Men VIII Gather at
Labor Hall Sunday.

1t was stated at the meeting in labor
hall last night that the State Jour
nal was opposed to the jitneys and
that this paper favored the drastic
ordinance against the motor car We
hicles and drivers. This statement is
absolutely false. 1t is unwarranted
and uncaIled for. The State Journal
championed the original appearance
of the new form of transportation in
Topeka and always has and always
will stand up for square deal in their
dealings with the board of city COM
missioners. Their business should be
regulated, not destroyed or unfairly
restricted.
The State Journal is for a square
deal. too, for the street railway COM
pany, with its big investment and
good service; but the proposed ordi
nance designed to put the jitneys out
of business is unjust and should not
prevail.
Accompanied by dozens of news
boys, shouting and cheering for them,
applauded by hundreds of good ma
tured citizens out of sympathy with
the unfair jitney ordinance, prac-
ticalIy every jitney driver in the city
participated in a big parade on Kan
sas avenue and through Topeka'S resi-
dence section at 2:30 o'clock this aft
ternoon. Huge printed signs were
tackled to the sides of the jitneyS urg
ing upon the public attendance at a
monstrouS mass meeting at the audi
torium at o'clock Monday morning
just before the ordinance comes up
for consideration before the commits
sion. Other signs asked:
why Drive the Jitney Out of Busi-
ness?
DO You Want to Return to made
quate Street Car Service?'
Hand bills further explaining the
jitney mems side of the case were dis
triDuted to the citizens viewing the
parade on both sides of the street
Jituey horns honked, and lusty news
boys hanging from the sides of the
cars kept up their lusty cheering.
The parade formed at Tenth and
Quincy streets and from there paraded
upon and down Kansas avenue, thence
north to Garfield Park and counter
marched.
Union Men Meet Sunday.
A mass meeting of all union men
will be held at $50 o'clock tomorrow
morning at Labor hall, 41S Kansas
avenue. The jitney proposition will be
discussed from all angles at that time.
The meeting has been called by the
executive committee.
Public Mass Meeting Monday.
At o'clock Monday morning a pub
lie mass meeting will be held at the
auditorium to protest against the pro-
posed jitney ordinance. This meeting
will be held about an hour prior to the
meeting of the city commissioners
when the ordinance will be placed be-
fore the commission for second
meeting.
At that time the public will be given
a chance to state its side of the story,
the jitney men will talk and defend
ers of the ordinance may speak out
in meeting also.
Since publication of the jitney ordi-
nance in last evenings State Journal
the city hall has been beseiged with
protsts-
Bills and PIacar1s
Thirty jitney drivers, backed by
union labor in Topeka and led by
Frank b. Brown, local organizer. at a
meeting at Labor Hall, 41S Kansas
avenue, outlined an aggressive pro-
paganda of public edification on the
proposed new jitney ordinance to be
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