Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-25

problem that is facing street rail-
way companies not only in Maine
but throughout the United States.
Reports of other commissions show
that this problem is by no means
local and various communities have
sought different remedies to prevent
the street railways from ceasing
business entirely. Among other meth
DDS have been the abatement of
taxes, subsidies. relief from the ne
cessity of repairing the streets be-
tween the car tracks, and in some
instances the matter has reached a
situation where the cities themselves
have assumed the operation of the
street car line service.
"Viewing the situation, therefore,
with the knowledge of these facts
in our minds, we are constrained to
say that we regard as the paramount
principle upon which we shall de-
termine these cases to be the well
fare of the community as whole.
THE fact that the local street rail-
way company may not derive the in
come it expects or that it is being
operated at loss in certain districts,
is not alone sufficient reason for re-
fuSlnS to grant certificates to COM
petinS motor vehicles. On the other
hand, the mere desire of the opera :
tor of motor vehicle to provide him
self with lucrative business during
the summer season should not be
sufficient to place in his hands an
agency of destruction of the street
railroad system. Furthermore, the
duty of refusing certificates in cases
like this and of thus depriving people
who would prefer to travel by motor
vehicle of the privilege of doing SC
sways so strongly of paternalism in
government that ones mind instinct
ly shrinks from it.
"The problem is squarely presented
then whether or not a regularly or
ganizcd street railway service con-
Quoting it's business for seven DAYS a
week and l. months of the year I'M
der the control of this commission
and the duty imposed by our state
law that its service shall be reason
able, adequate and safe, shall be pro-
tected from competition that exists
only during the summer months, and
which ceases when the traffic dimn-
ishes by the passing from our border
of the numerous tourists who make
our community their homes during
the summer months.
I'VE do not place our decision upon
the basis that railroads are obliged
, to operate and maintain expensive
rights of way while these motor
vehicles pass along the State high
ways provided by common contribu
ton from the people of our State
because the highways of the State
are made the common property of all
md ,t.r1,4 H.
operators of these motor vehicles
must not be abridged for that purpose
except by the Legislature itself. We
must not be unmindful of the fact
that many of our citizens have in
vested their money in these street
railroad systems and that investors
will not entrust their money to any
public utilities if such utilities having
been constructed may be destroyed at
will by those whose competition with
them is tranSitOry in character but
fatal in it's effect.
I'VE are not swayed by the con-
sideration of the fact that the en-
ployeS of the Portland Railroad COM
pany not long ago voluntarily sub
mitted to a reduction Of their wages
in order that the company might
continue it's service. This act upon
their part would be rendered nuga-
tory and futile if the method by
which they earn their daily living is
to be undermined and destroyed by a
force whose powers of destruction
have been demonstrated in states
other than our own to be certain and
effectual.
"Compotition which aids life and
force and incentive to ordinary in
dustry cannot truthfully be said to
be desirable in the conduct of pub
lie utilities which in their nature al
though owned by private individuals,
are dedicated to the use of all of the
citizens of the community. Public
Utilities must of necessity be
limited in number in any given COM
munity in order to be at all remun-
erative and hence able to attract
capital for maintenance and develop
ment. This has been recognized as
the policy of this State since the en-
actment Of the public utility law in
1914 when the State assumed ia
regulate the rate of return which