The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-01
The Unsatisfactory
Street Car Situation
BY BILL PRICE.


car fares in the District one-third of cent, if car
tokens are purchased, and nobody is satisfied Rep
resentatives of the riding public scorn the decrease
as hardly appreciate, while the Washington Rail .
way and Electric Company claims that the probable
annual loss of $4,000 will reduce the return of the
company, official ascertained valuation to less
than per cent The Capital Traction Company
"saws wood and says nothing, because it will still
earn more than per cent upon valuation hereto !.
fore ascertained by the Commission.
On the theory that it is bound under public utility
laws, to allow reasonable returns to public utilities
upon established valuations, the Public Utilities
Commission could not well have reduced the fares
further without encountering court action from the
W. R. and E., alleging confscation of property.
The P. U. G.. becomes the "goat' under the ag-
gravatng conditions which prevail, when it has alb
solutey power to make the changes which
really necessary for clearing up most inequitable
and irritating features Congress could have settled
the whole thing long ago had it ft but there
continue to be wide differences of legislative opinion
that prevent Congressional action Our Congressional
friends have become adopts in "passng the buck"
on local matters.
District people do not vote. They can't do any
thing toward unseating anybody in November next
Therefore it matters little whether aggravatng prob
lens remain unsoved in the body which is the town
council of the National Capital-passing upon the
salaries of dog catchers and minor matters, and
failing to accept responsibilities attaching to knotty
subjects.
If the people of Washington elected their District
Commissioners, their Public Utility Commissioners,
their Board of Education, and were allowed to con-
troll their local affairs, is done in all other Amer
cities, this badly messed up" street tangle
would have been Strengthened out by and all
interests would know where they stand
The free American citizens of Detroit have finally
settled thirty year fight for municipal ownership
there they desired it to be settled The lines of
the Detroit United Railways are to pass to the
ownership of the city, which will operate them in
behalf of the public and not for the purpose of
seeing how large the dividends may be on manipu-
lated stocks
The citizens of Des Moines Iowa, have forced an
agreement with the street railways for service
at-cost plan by which the public will have, through
its elective officers control transportation
and constant knowledge of just why fares are
fixed at certain figure. In Cleveland, Ohio, this
has worked to perfection for years, with the public
and owners of the railways satisfied.
The service-at-cost plan is guarantee of a fair
return to owners of utilities; a guarantee to the
riding public of the best service and the lowest fare
IL does not permit OF III per cent return Sucn as
one of the railways of Washington has profted by
during the past year. The return is usually about
per cent.
Greater New York is to take underground,
overhead and surface lines and operate them on a
Scent fare In making valuations of forty traction
lines in that big city, the Transit Commission has
squeezed over $300O00,000 in water from the claims
of the companies. The book values of the companies
were $791 45OS39. The valuation for rehabilitation
purposes is put at $465,6sO,154.
San Francisco operates of its electric
lines on 5-centfare and makes money for the city.
Wherever the people have the rights of suffrage,
as they do everywhere in this glorious country
except the National Capital they compel settle
ments of irritating street problems; squeeze the
water from overcapitalized concerns, and see that
they are operated on a basis of fairness to all.
Congress starts run to the woods every time