Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-29
PEOPLES AGENTS MUST BE
AS ACTIVE AS Mr.. MiTTEN
In No Other Way Can the Street Car
Riders Be Protected From unneees-
sary Increases in Carfares

sary increases IN Carfares
'IhlERE can be no proper solution of the
rapid transit problem in this city SO
long as the authorities are willing to play
second fiddle to the transit corporations.
These corporations are indebted TO the
public for every privilege they have Their
right to operate cars in the streets is differ
ont from the right of private citizens to
operate their automobiles or to drive their
horses over the public thoroughfares. The
streets are for the use of tho public. We
may walk on them and drive on them with
out molcstatiOn and without license, with no
restrictions save those required for the pro-
lection of everybody.
But street railroad corporation is re-
qulred TO get franchise permitting il 10
operate it's vehicles. II enjoys a certain
monopoly in the thoroughfares over which
its cars arc run. And in order that the
greater number may be served its cars have
the right of wny over other vehicles. Trucks
and automobiles and carriages must get off
tho track when street ear approaches.
And the companies are allowed to charge
fare fixed by the public authorities for
the privilege of riding In their cars. Their
permit to do business and the prices they
may charge for what they have to sell de.
pend on the grace Of the public.
Yet 1t has been assumed in this city that
the public is at the mercy Of the corpora
tons which own the street car franchises,
and that tho public must submit to what
ever those corporations are willing to give.
And the representatives of the corporal tons
are doing nothing to remove this misapprc-
hcnsion. They are telling ,ls that they will
do thus and so and will do nothing unless
We come to their terms.
It would be foolish TO denounce the rep.
rcsentativcs of the corporations for this.
Mr., Mitteu Is the employc of the =. X. T.
He is paid TO do his utmost to get as much
money as possible out of the public on the
most profitable terms for his employers.
And he is a faithful servant. He took
bankrupt corporation and in few years
succeeded in earning dividends on its capi-
tai stock in addition TO paying all the fixed
charges Then the war came and upset all
values. Dividends have been passed and
Mr.. M!tton is doing his best to bring about
a condition under which his books will close
at the end of the year with a balance on the
right side. He thought he could do it with
a tvc-Cent fare a few months ago. The
Public Service Commission, however. act
ing under pressure from men who disagreed
with him, raised the fare 10 seven cents,
with four tickets to be sold for twenty five
cents. Now Mr.. Mttcn is asking for a
straight seven cent fare
And he is going further than this, for he
! is insisting that IN any contract between
! the city and the P. r. r. for the operation
! of the Frankford elevated line the dividends
| OF the company must be guaranteed. In
| other words, the city is to get nothing for
| its investment until enough money has been
earned TO pay the eXorbitant rentals on the
| underlying companies in the p. X. r and
until enough has been earned to pay ) per
! cent on the $50, 900, 900 capital Of the oper-
| ating company. But II is useless TO con
denim Mr.. Mittcn for mailing these demands
He is merely taking care of the interests
| of his employers.
What We ncod just now u some one Who
will b" as insistcnt on the rights of the
! public as Mr. Mitten IS on the rights Of
the p. r. 4.
There are two bills before the Legisla
| turc drafted by men who think that tie
| public has somo rights that ought to be
respected. BUT there does not seem to be
any brilliant prospect thai they will get TO
| Governor Sprou.
One of them empowers the Public Service
| Commission to revise all leases between
street railway corporations, the terms Of
which make it impossible for the public TO
be served adequately. II permits the re-
/ vision Of rentals whether they are fixed by
a,n,roc, nv nor and ,bo ircroosc or do,roa.o
Of the rentals in accordance with the needs Of
! tho situation.
II Is extremely doubtful whether contracts
a cor.ti,rtionoI rrobihi,ior ocai,.t NV
| Ioci .Iutin, irnoir,pg tho valiJITv 90 ,on.
,ro.,s r., ,horo oT,Lt 70 ho so,,,o no.. Lr
,,ttch ,bo o,,rao.ous coutrocts ho,,roo,, ,bo
= y r. o,L ,bc nrdor,,ir,, ,on,,o,,ia. ,a',
| H., roooLoJ for ,bor Iio ot ,ba L,,,,,,, g
w i'H-'''4' 'r' 'l''s - ''r DN''''' VI