South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-14

MARCH "A, 1918.


Yes. dcarlc5 proceed 10 the rescue o ~ poor
down-troddcn. sea-sickly. ooverty-strcken. and hO:-
rbIy abused street railway octopus. Listen to its pleas
for help. Called before the board o. works for some
explanation of it's damnable service. it walls it's same
old wall and seems TO be finding city officials, botn
administrative and councilmanic. willing and ready
10 guIp down IT'S gall. Same as i'm days of yore, its
cry is for higher fares. and that it is being robbed
by the little Insignificant "jitney' bus. Hog ana
hominyr is still with us.
Anybody in south BEND with a memory an incn
long. knows and knows full well, that the "jitney
bus n South Bend is a result and not a cause; the
result Of the very conditions that Gen. Mgr. Grover
would have the city officials believe them to have
created. While other cities. and cities of much less
population. have had street car service at Elk fares
for "a quarter. south Bend has been paying five Gems
straight, and while these other cities have had q
respectable service at those rates. South Bend has
never had it. 1t is bunk to say the traffic isn't here.
The lines. up to the outbreak Of the war, were among
the best money-makers in the state. and probably
are yet. The people Of South Bend have merely been
bled for big money. in return for the least possible
service in order that interest might be paid on some
S5.OOO.OOO Of watered bonds issued against a gratis
franchise, the gift Of the municipality, and in order
that the Murdocks might enjoy a good time.
Then when the "jitneys" came. in natural response
20 popular protest. to assist the populace in getting
somewhere. sometime, again we heard it that poor
old Northern Indiana stock had never paid any
dividends; that the company was hard up. and 20
provide better service would call for even higher
fares-as the 'jitney' bus was all to blame. Soft
sbeIled executive Holsters about the city haH i'm
pressed by the oily glib Of the traction magnates,
and wailing pleas Of local bondholders, have always
seemed willing to fall for it. They are greatly con-
cerned about the "jitneys' lest they use a bit of pave
ment, and mayhap injure It in time; lest they hurt
somebody and not be financially responsible in dam
ages, but it seems all right that all the principal
streets Of the city should be turned literally over 10
the traction "sods"-while the street car company.
if as poverty stricken as the magnates say it is. is
scarcely more responsible IN damages than is the
most irresponsible 'jitney" driver in town.
Why not exercise a little sense in this matter; stop
being bluned. moIycodded, and humbugged by this
aggregation Of traction "grafters"-a very appro-
pirate definition. both as to the process and the ulH-
mate economic misappropriatons?
The jitney bus question in South Bend. as in other
cities. is a perplexirg one. but in south Bend it IS
especially aggravating because Of the poor service
given by the local street car company.-not as a re-
suit but a cause. For that reason. any measures de-
signed TO regulate the business should be formed -
as TO increase the competition against the street car
company. thus forcing them 10 give better service.
The ordinance proposed by Councilman GoebeL wh!e
excusable as 10 the bond provision. viii have no effect
Fin increasing the competition as far as it's taxation
provisions go-rather. the contrary.
AT present. about so percent of the jitneys operate
on Westminster av. The result is that competition Win
the street car company there is SO keen that the
company has practically given up the fight. and runs
cars-Ittle. dinky, inadequate ones at that-merely
every once I'm a while. more. it seems, to hold rs
franchise than COR any other reason.
Suppose that a system of taxation were arranged
whereby the route Of the car would be the basis
instead Of the seating capacity. Let us say. for eN-
ample. that washington av. is the most desirable run.
Very well. cars operating ON that street should pas
The hishest tax. say. for sake Of illustration. $50 n
$40 or soc per year Cars running on 5. Michigan s..
would be required to pay $50 or $50 or Sa5: Lincoln
sway H.. a maNimum of $50, Lincoln way w. of $50;
IHu So. and Notre Dame av. SEQ. and other streets
accordiusy. Then, limit the number of licenses issued
for amy one street te a reasonable figure. on the first
come hrst served principle.
Jituey service. under these equations would not
De confined largely TO one street. as il is now. Under
such regulations. motor cars would run on all the
principal streets. much to The detrimeut Of the car
company. unless it improved it's service SO that peo-
pie would prefer Co wait for the car rather than take
the less comfortable ttuey tus.
Bond thc jtuey-we1 and good.-but arrange the
license fee in such way that IL viii tend to distribute
the service. and force the street car company {, give
better service. OF go ont Of business-not only "a enc
street. hut over the entire city.
By ro means should the bonds or the license fee.
Doe OF a magnitude 90 render jtney service pro9ibl
tive. The tax and the bonds should be made a spur
to industry. both on the part Of the bis maguates. and