The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-01-08
without interference from any outside

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parties.
But that is the thing tho company
does not want to do. Il would be
obliged to 60 into court with clean
hands. It would not be permitted to
hold anything back. It would not be
able to deceive the judges as it is now
attempting to fool the people.
If the City commissioners really
want to do something worth while on
this question for the people they are
elected to represent they would pursue
just such a course as other city coun-
ellis have done in the past. That Is
the only way to compel the street rail.
way company to live up to the require
ments of it's franchise.
It is all bunk the Herald is printing
to the effect "that no interest, be it
labor or any other, should prevent the
city from doing the right thing" If
business, through the Commercial. club,
could have blufed this thing through,
we would not have heard peep from
the Herald about "any one interest," -
That issue is only raised when labor
scores a victory, and none know it bet.
ter than does the astute editor Of the
Herald.
There isn't . daily paper that seems
to care bit about the contracts the
Duluth Street Railway company made
with the old villages Of Duluth, West
Duluth and Lakeside under which it is
operating, and during the life of which
it agreed to carry passengers for five
cents. During fat years it took big
profits and padded it's stock and bond
accounts without giving the people the
benefit Of reduced fares. Why should
it now expect the people to authorize
an increase in the fare when the earn
ings on an inflated capitalization and
an excessive bonded indebtedness are
lean9
Let the company live up to its con-
tract; that is what is expected Of trade
unions, whether the bargains made
were good or bad. How severely unions
were criticized during the war whose
members went on tvacations'' in VIC
lation Of their contracts which were
made before the high price era, and
the Herald took no little part; in such
criticism: ''Live up to your con-
tracts,'' it. commanded. It,.
For nearly forty years the franchise
enjoyed by the Duluth Street Railway
company was regarded as one,sided,
and chiefly favorable to the company.
This city spent many thousands Of dol
lars to get a decent Interpretation Of
it's provisions from the courts. They
have all been cleared up. Both the
company and the city know their rights
under that franchise.
If it were not for hesitating city
attorney and an accommodating council
the whole street railway issue would
either be in the courts now, or it would
be settled by the mere threat of liti-
cation on the part. Of the city.
In the last analysis the street rail-
way company hasn't moral or legal
foot to stand on. It's chief hope is
that it can get relief from a credulous
people, through such influence az may
be used on them by east " swayed bus.
mess and other affiliated interests,
which do not recognize any difference
between a public service corporation
protected by a franchise and an un-
privileged private enterprise that takes
all the risks Of the trade.
Union labor has nothing to be
ashamed Of for the position it took in
opposition to the special election and
the six-cents ordinance. It acted not
only in the interest Of the workers, but
Of all the people. It performed great
public service which will sooner or
later be recognized by every free think
ing person in the community.