The Washington herald., 1918-01-23

for the Senator to relieve himself of
his burden. Many of these serious
minded people. in fact, are inclined to
the opinion that II Senator Stone
starts the ball rolling he will hurt
both his party and the war spirit. III
view of that, the opinion is in some
quarters. outside. the Senator should
keep his mouth closed very tight for
the new few weeks.
Raymond Nelson Hickman, retired
naval paymaster, wants to operate All
omnibus service in the District and
has laid before Congress a bill giving
him certain rights in the matter.
His aim, as he makes clear to the
members, is to relieve the present
congested street car system. He eN-
poets to establish certain routes over
the city where the traffic can best sup
port his plan. This. of course. means
that he will operate in those parts OF
the city where the street-car conges
ton appears TO be the worst.
One point Mr.. Hickman makes in
his letter to members of Congress is
interesting to the members and should
be of interest to the people Of the
District who are to be served. He
says that until certain things are
made plain to probable investors in
the stock Of his organization. it will
be hard to get the capital to operate.
This is quite natural. No man who
has money to put into m enterprise
cares to do so Until hc knows that
it will be protest / to scmc extent
from the Wild plans of des gn.ng Cf-
,. col.
one thinks, of course, Inat the rresent
Congress wou;i be unreasoraEIe in
these matters, but it is more satisfy
ing, Just the same. and more business
like, too. to nave it down in black
and white before one starts out TO
organize a company OF this kind. A
suggestion made by one Of the mem
bers who saw Mr.. Hickman's letter
was that reasonable concessions could
be made to him and that certain re-
turns upon the investment could he
paid to Uncle Sam for giving Mr..
Hickman the rights he asks for. This
would involve private operation. and
the payment of a royalty to Uncle
Sam which makes the latter partner
in the business.
There are several members who feel
friendly to the plan and who may do
their best-in view of the innumerable
times they themselves have suffered
on the presnt inadequate street car
system-to see that a modification of
Mr.. Hickman's plan Is adopted in Con-
gress.
We have heard the frequent state
ment that God gave the ground and
the water to the people of the earth
and that Appropriation of these to the
uses of private corporations is unjust
and illegal.
This is the InsisIent statement of
those who favor government owner
ship of all public utilities-and who
don't stop to reason with themselves
in the matter
The better view of the situation-and
this finds general Endorsement among
many .CongressmCn whom We know
is that God didn't give the earth or
the water away. The title is in Him
and it will always remain there. Inas-
much as it is only loaned to each
generation as it neds it, il would be
better for each generation to allow
private corporations to operate our
public utilities-for private operation
can be made more successful than
public operation-and then to exact
from each corporation a royalty which
stands in lieu of a rental for the
franchise rights thus given to it by
the people
This would make the people the
partners of public utility operation.
The greater the returns to the cor
pOration the greater returns to the
people in royalty sums And the
lesser the oportunity for failure by
government ownership and operation.
Think it over, gentle reader.
THE OBSERVER,