Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-06-14
AN EDITORIAL
(From The Times Dispatch Of June r. i0:i)


DOES RICHMOND WANT TO BE CHEAP?
IT Richmond wants to be cheap in its treatment of in
L vested capital, it must expect cheap results and cheap
service Ii must also expect that when its reputation
for cheancss goes abroad outside capital will turn its
eyes to inviting fields, whepen more progress
sivc municipalities which know that fair treatment for
capital is the best investment any city can make
The Times Dispatch does not believe that Richmond
wants to be cheap, or that there is considerable
number of its citizens who wish the Council to adopt
checseparing policy toward the street company.
Even if there citizens whose old aSOncd unreal
soning prejudices against public service corporations
too deeply ingrancd to be cradicated they should
be influenced to the side of fairness by the knowledge
that the wrccling of the street company would i'm
mediatey react to the depreciation of their own prop
erty in Richmond. Nor do we believe that there
many citizens in Richmond who, if they will calmly
think it over would object to paying two
cents day for their transporaton service, and that
perhaps temporarily pending the permanent adjust
ment through franchise, if they realized that
through their small financial sacrifice they keeping
on its feet company the service of which Richmond
depends not only for its immediate transportation, but
for the growth that it expects and will have under nor
NAL conditions in the next few years.
The Streets Committee of the City Council it is
feared acted hastily even if not arbitrarily in dismiss
ing the cOmpanys petition for 7cen fare pending the
franchise adjustment 1t is true that granted
nuancc of the Scent fare which ii upon to keep
the company out of bankruptcy. Possibly it will,
although the company pleads that with its present reve
nlIes 1T is or the very verge of receiversp. But
if it wcathers the storm ii can do no more than that
1t can DO more of the things that needed to be zone
to open outlying districts relieve traffic congestion
and help along the building boom by making new home
sites available. All of these things must wait if the
committees decision stands.
The committee should have remembered that it was
only through the dilatorincss of the Council that the
petition for an increased fare became necessary. If
however, the Council should sustain the verdict of the
committee that it is the part of municipal wisdom to
grant the street company barely enough financial
air to keep it breathing, it will find public opinion de-
manding speedy handling of the blanket franchise
petition Nor, it seems, should that require long time
nor the expense involved in fresh valuation of prop
critics All OF the figures aready in the hands of the
Council and have been for months A satisfactory
franchise could have been drafted and adopted long
ago. and would not be necessary for the COM
pany to hobbe along its uncertain footing with the
public never knowing whether not the next step will
be Its last The situation is in the hands of the Council
and the issue is far above the life or death Of
public service corporation 1t is the future of Richmond
that the Council must decide