The Washington herald., 1921-05-06
Invite the man who love thee to feast,
but let thine enemy alone-Hesiod.
Washington's Street Railways.
X-Intra-city Transportation.

CFREET railway managers are never averse to
telling of the great Importance of their utility
- to the community. They are right in this.
They can hardly overstate it But it is something
that those who have their own do not fully
appreciate. They do not see where this value comes
to them. Yet it does to them in direct, cash
return at no cost whatever under present con-
ditions
But this value is in inverse ratio to the price
of car fares Every business and every property
owner has the interest in low fares have
those who depend wholly street for trans
portation, and low fares the normal and estab
lished nickel Constructors find that the low fare
where the workers live where the job is All
other employers have this inclusive territory
from which to draw employees. Labor and salaried
employees then have the privilege OF living wherever
living is cheapest
Merchants find the radius of their patronage ex-
Janded by this same factor. 1t makes a material
difference to the purse, and to human
nature, whether the round-trp costs 10 cents IS
cents. If this was not so, merchants would not
mark article at 40 cents instead Of So nor at
o8 cents instead Of SI.oo The real estate dealer
similarly knows that low fare broadens very ma
tcrially the of his market. 1t tends to bal
ancing of land values. 1t is talking factor in
every sale. Merchants demand to be on a car
If the fare is high, he wants to be within walking
distance of a school or his job
The price of the ride is a part of the cost of
living. 1t enters into the wage scale. If it is but
: -ents. it is disregarded, just from habit. If ii
j. than cents, the worker aims to get ii
all back in wages. The contractor, the other en-
7 ycrs, the merchant, the property owner, the
rental and real estate agent, every business man
knows that street car facilities make direct
return to him and that low fares are a direct
benefit to him. When he considers these factors
he cannot get away from this conclusion.
Simply because he does not ride in street car:
docs lessen the importance TO him Of low
fares 1t is as much to his interest to that o.
those who pay the actual fares that, if merger il
TO come it shall be on a basis that will not over
load the combination with a capitalization beyond
a. carpIng power at low fare. II is equally tc
ter interest to ndorse any just program which
Will tighten the overhead burden of the companies
provided this is reflected in low fares.
All students of city building place ntra-cit!
transportation as first among the factors of whole
some growth, OF zoning, OF health, comfort ant
evenly balanced prosperity. 1t gives the essenta
element OF Auidy to labor trade, and realty trans
actions. 1t brings unity in city consciousness. l
prevents oversectonalism. 1t makes one city in
stead of an aggregation OF little cities. 1t tend
to an nterlocked, friendly feeling and to spread o
acquaintance 1t allows the distant dweller to hav
all the advantages offered by other parts.
But all Of this depends not on merely having
railroads. but on also having low fares Every on
OF these advantages and good conditions, lessen
in proportion as fares advance. The present situa
ton in Washington is also aggravated by the fac
that fares stay at the peak with an increas
demanded when all wages and sources of income
arc dropping.