The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-05-31
5 CENTS REASONABLE


Carfarc Editor. Star: In response
to your solicitation 90 the general
public 20 present ideas for the solu
ton OF the question OF a proper
charge for fare on the street rail
ways. and the question Of raising
revenues for the municipal lines, I
submit the following.
A public utility 10. as tn. term i'm
plies. some enterprise owned and
operated by the general public with.
In certain boundaries. IL iH thus n
general public liability or asset as
the case may be, A. a public utility
Il cannot properly be elaHred IA sec
tional property. or operated for. and
paid for by few. but by the public
Al large comprising the group OF
owners. II ia inanifertly apparent
that a public utility should he ope-
rated on basis guaranteeing It's
support. making provision for depre-
citation. interest. extension work. re-.
rrVe. etc. In the case of a publicly
owned street railway system. . just
and reasonable fare should be
charged for carrying passengers. and
lf-provided the fare Ia not too low
the utility docs no, support itself.
then the deficit should be made up
by general taxation. This would be
the only Just way 10 meet "A deficit
in n business operated by the general
public.
Some advance the theory that
thosc who ride on the cars and are
directly benefited by tho utility
should pay an Increased farc TO meet
any deficit. This In not In keeping
with the scheme OF public Ownership.
The street railway system benefits
the city at large. and In the vital
nerve center OF tho business. and so
cial life OF the community. For in
stance. n merchant may not ride on
the street cars. being fortunate
enough to own an automobile which
he USES. but. the street car carries
his employees and customers and On
ahies him TO continue in business.
Also. tn tho event that his au,omo.
bile breaks down tho humble street
chr IN ready TO serve him as IL does
the man who toRsea his nickel into
the fare Dor twice or more each day.
To IN, resident OF city who does
not use the street cars. they arc a
potential force operating In his favor
just tho same. Increasing the valua-
ton OF his holdings. and he should
be made 20 contribute his monetary
support directly or indirectly to their
upkeep. The bulk OF patrons who
ride on the street cars f. composed
OF the working ciastes. the backhon.
OF any city. Tho street cars nrc their
only means OF transportation over
the city TO and from their work. and
while they derive direct bcncfv
from tho usn Of tho street railway
system. the employer who may not
use the street cars also derives in.
system In cog In the scheme OF
municipal Industrial organization
which makes him a living. and often.
times n fat profit.
IL would be an urwir~ thing for
the city OF Seattle 20 raise it's stree,
railway fare above tho five-cent
charge. II makes no difference what
Podunk or any other city Ia DOING
In this respect What happens In
Seattle is what counts with the
massrs
IL has been demonstrated by pri.
vateiy owned street railway corpora.
tons that a profit can be made ope-
rating on a seven cent basis. II
such be the case. why cannot the
city OF Seattle operate It's cars on a
five cent basis7 We are not looking
for dividends as In the case with
private corporations. The people
don't want to make n profit out OF
their own pockets. Let the general
tax scheme operate TO reach out and
make the man who never rides I'm n
street car. but who profits by tho
favorable conditions II creates. pay
his share To support the one enter.
prise which makes a city worth liv.
ing In. lie should be made to pay
for the operat ton Of his own business
ms one Of the general public. for the
simple reason that IL the carlines
show n profit the public shares in
the profits In the way OF extensions.
added equipment. Increased valua.
ton. etc, and should likewise share
equally in making up a deficit
The man who does not use the
street cars can no doubt afford
other means OF transportation. IL we
all did the same thing where would
the street car system be7 who
would pay the deficit then7 Why.
the general public. OF course.
Very often district In made valu.
able because carline In extended
to II on account OF increasing popu.
lation: there may be large portions
Of the district 80 served which be
come extremely valuable. and the
owners may not even live in the city.
and never pay n nickel directly or
indirectly into the street railway that
makes their property valuable.
The way TO reach them IL thru the
general tax scheme. Summing up.
the five cent BaoMcf shrdlu shrdluo
reasonable fare to operate on, and the
Municipal street Railway OF this
city. under proper management,
should make good on that basis. II
II does not, the deficit should be
made up by n general tax on the