The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-04-21

OOmc IlmS dSO, DIS d mdCCCI VI
broad, general principle, an agi-
tation was started in favor Of a
universal Scent fare on the lines
of the Duluth street railway sys-
tenn. During the recent NUM-
cipal campaign, it was something
Of an issue but did not become
burning one. Most, If not all Of
the candidates, agreed to support
the proposition if elected. All Of
them, probably, believed in it as
a broad, rather impersonal mat
ter. Some may have thought it
would never come up after the
polls were closed. Others quite
well knew what legal rights the
street railway company possessed
under Its franchise and took it
for granted that a double, fare to
Steelton would stick, no matter
what agitation to the contrary
was kept up.
AS a result of the agitation for
the universal Scent fare and the
urgent demands for various street
car extensions, especially the one
from Morgan Park to New Du-
luth, the Duluth Street Railway
company tacitly agreed to make
the New Duluth extension as
quickly as the roadway was ready
and material could be secured,
provided the matter Of a 10-cent
far from all points outside West
Duluth was not seriously opposed.
This proposition was put up to
the leading commercial organiza-
lions of the city. The New Du-.
luth Commercial club, composed
almost exclusively Of actual resi-:
dents of that suburb, retail mer-
chants, professional men, skilled
workmen and property owners
Big. Interests being conspicuous
by their absence-unanimously
voted to rest content with the
double fare on condition that the
extension was made.
The West Duluth Commercial
club, embracing just about the
same class of members as the New
Duluth Club, only much greater.
in number, experience and, pos
sibly, municipal influence, voted
In favor of the tacit bargain as to
double fare and extension.
So far as the Rip-saw knows,
no action was taken by the West
End commercial bodies but no
loud cries have been heard out
there, therefore it is assumed that
section is not against New Duluth.
Then the matter came before
the executive committee of the
Duluth Commercial club, an or
ganization with over 1000 men,
bers, comprising the cream of
those prominent in every circle of
human endeavor in Duluth. In
matters Of this kind, the voice of
the Duluth Commercial club is as
sumed to be the voice of a great
majority of everyone and every
thing in the city. This commit
tee, after most exhaustive investi-
cation and a hearing for all sides
and interests in the matter, recon-
n.ended that the double fare prop.
osition be accepted.
At the annual meeting of the
Duluth Commercial Club last
Wednesday night, by an over
whelming vote, the public affairs
committee adopted the executive
committees recommendation to
approve the double fare from all
parts OF Duluth, outside the West
Duluth zone, to Morgan Park.
At the Commercial club meet
ing, E. A. Silberstein and a few
other retail merchants in the CEN
trail part of the city opposed ap-
proval Of the plan. Leon E. Lum,
q capitalist-lawyer, very close to
G.. G. Hartley personally, also
spoke against the approval.
Among the reasons for requir-
ing a double fare, the Duluth
Street Railway Company pointed
out that the operation of the Nor
gan Park line has been marked
by-a deficit since that service was
inaugurated.
The opponents Of the 1O-cent
fare based most Of their objec-
tions on the belief that the double
fare would keep the Steelton Sec
tion from trading at the big retail!
houses uptown, maintaining that
people will not spend an extra
nickel to get what they may espes
cially desire in the way of mer-
chandise.
Mr.. Lum also objected to a deci-
sion at a meeting where the So
called Big Interests were heavily