The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-06-13
COMMITTEE
CAN DO CITY
BIG SERVICE
(EDITORLAL)

The committee of Is citizens to whom the city
council has delegated the task of framing for Ia
coma comprehensive local transportation policy
faces today the knottest civic problem hereabouts.
1t faces days of grinding research hours OF in
tensive application.
It holds in it's hands the opportunity to do far
more toward the upbuilding of the city than would
the coming, say, of another great shipyard
The Tacoma Railway & Power Co., under exist
ing conditions, is the end of its rope Its ex-
penses are mounting Its income is virtually
fixed. Its franchises are expiring. It's credit is
doing the same. 1t does not enjoy the sympathy OF
the community. Whether it is entitled to that
sympathy is beside the question; it simply does not
bankruptcy court.
That, of course, is matter for its stockholders,
bOndh0ders and managers to worry about
However, the public has an equal concern in the
question, because the public at this critical time,
is not being given good service. Cars are damned;
trips are IRREGULAR to transfer is an abominatiOn.
Many growing sections are without car lines. Camp
Lewis fourth largest city in Washington, is separ-
ated from lis by a trolley-less gap.
To submit the problem to the public service
commission (created for that purpose) would result
in nothing but travesty. The supreme court has
clipped the boards powers SO that it is helpless,
and as now constituted it does not have the conf
dence of the people anyhow.
Some solution is up to the city council. The
members wise to call in of the best brains
of the city to help them study the question and to
devise what must be done.
Now if this committee only will live up to its pos
sibilites only will devote the talent, the energy the
good sense it's individual members possess to get
ting to the bottom of the question, it will do tic
town wonderful service.
1t must learn, first, what the r. r. & P. Co.'S
actual financial condition is 1t must decide what
extravagances can be pruned.
1t must decide what wage scale must, in fairness
to the men, be paid that first class workers can
be retained carmen.
It must decide what extensions are essential.
1t must calculate with care how the necessary
income can be procured. If raise in fare is imper-
ative-and probably it is temporarily-a fran
chise provision must be drafted that, under
changing conditions, return to the fivecent basis,
or even a further reduction, would be mandatory.
The problem of what the city shall do about re-
newing franchises that expire this summer and
then in succeeding years must be met
Some definite, reasonable, simple manner by
which the city whenever it shall choose, may ac-
ouire the entire system municipal utility must
: be embodied in the general program.
When all this work is finished the committee can
do nothing, of course, but RECOMMEND pro-
cedure to the council and other authorities. It can
force nothing
However, if it's findings are just it's advice sound,
the community will get behind it's program and de-
mand that the company the city and the state pub
lice service commission put the agreement into e.
feet.
It is way out of a serious dilemma-but only if
the committee does high class work.
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