ments filled with men who, like the vigilant "minute man" of colonial days, are ever ready to perform with earnest intelligence the duties which they have assumed. All these men, thoroughly imbued with the spirit of self-abnegation, hold the discharge of duty first in all the purposes of life. With industry and intelligence and loyalty they perform their obligations, they represent us with the public, with persevering patience taking care of the annoyances and worries which, of necessity, constantly arise. They are our friends and helpers and co-workers in the accomplishment of the task to which we devote our lives. Our relations with them should stand on a solid foundation of honest fairness, kindly consideration, and appreciative confidence. The disturber should not be allowed to come between us and there should be a community of feeling and interest that allows no separation of purpose or effort. There are lessons of the past for both of us, which, if we heed, will guide us in the open way between the Scylla and Charybdis of the future.

The street railway of the future stands in grand relief as an institution of all future progress and development. Its service is a concern of every member of the community, there is no work or undertaking that so permeates the home and life of all the people around us. Our responsibility is a burden to be safely borne only on Herculean shoulders. Let us stand under it bravely, and with persistent and determined manliness, so that our own consciences at least shall acquit us with the plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Secretary Penington read the following letter:

Mr. President and Gentlemen of The American Street Railway Association:

I desire to apologize to you by offering an explanation of my absence from this meeting. I consider the request to prepare a paper for the Association a very great compliment. The compliment should have an acknowledgment in a painstaking preparation of the paper and its personal presentation to the Convention.

The Company with which I have the honor of connection has a large number of heads of departments, who are much interested in all matters here presented and considered. We are many miles away from you and I recognize the necessity that some of us must stay at home and "keep house." In perhaps unwarranted vanity, I conclude that if I remain on duty, a larger number can attend. I have sent you a good delegation and have cheerfully, and in your interest, denied myself the great privilege and pleasure of being with you.

Mr. C. D. Wyman-Mr. President, I desire to move the unanimous thanks of the Convention to Capt. McCulloch for the paper which he so carefully prepared and put in such excellent shape; and in speaking to that motion, permit me to say that I am quite certain that I voice the sentiments of all the delegates present when I say that we regret exceedingly the absence of Capt. Robert McCulloch from this meeting. We regret that we are not able personally to thank him, not only for the paper, but for his services in the past, for his unfaltering loyalty and devotion to the interests of the Association and the street railroad fraternity in general, and for the great help that he gave the Association in its earlier days, in its organization period, and the assistance which he has rendered it during all the time of its life. I wish that this sentiment shall be embodied by the Secretary in the resolution which I have offered.

The motion was unanimously carried.

THE PUBLIC, THE OPERATOR AND THE COMPANY. The American Street Railway Association

Gentlemen: It would be difficult indeed to indicate the entire essence and range of street railway operation in fewer words than has been so tersely done by your President, in the title of this paper.

It is with diffidence that I shall try to present a few thoughts in its illustration, feeling it impossible within the necessary limitations to do justice to so comprehensive a theme. I assume that the intention of this title is to induce consideration, and perhaps discussion, of the relations of street railway companies to the public, and in particular those relations as they are concerned with the question of private or municipal ownership or in connection with the conditions affixed to grants or franchises, or possibly as to the relations of the street railway companies to the public in the matter of taxation. Urban and interurban transportation of passengers on the public streets and highways is, in its nature, so different from the movement of passengers by waterways or upon private rights of way that it is not only very difficult for those not actually engaged in the business to appreciate its duties and responsibilities and its limitations, but it is natural as well that there should be a sentiment in the public mind in relation to street railways somewhat different from that felt toward steam railroads, for the reason that the business of the street railway is transacted in the streets.

Few, however, of those who are so ready to lay burdens upon the street railway realize, or have ever learned, that the streets are not the property of the municipality, but belong to the public. A citizen of any European country has the same right upon the streets of an American city that a resident of the city has. The care of the streets devolves, it is true, upon the municipality, but this, of itself, gives the municipality no right to sell privileges belonging to the public in connection with those streets. It is natural for citizens to assume that the street railway company is a fair mark for the levying of taxes, ordinary and extraordinary, and the imposition of conditions, severe or otherwise, in granting franchises. From this sentiment, and other causes, results a great volume of special legislation, often ephemeral in its character, varying in different States, all calculated to impose burdens and regulations upon this business. The great variety of such legislation is continually changing character and minor legislation (if it may be so called) which originates in city councils, or with highway authorities, places the entire business of street transportation in a condition of uncertainty to which few other investments and none of like magnitude are subjected. In consequence of this condition of affairs the street railway corporations are constantly placed upon the defensive, and necessarily much of the time and attention of their managements is devoted to a struggle for a reasonable existence.

In this connection I desire to quote from an address delivered at Philadelphia in April, 1900, at the fourth annual meeting of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, by Senator

William Lindsay, of Kentucky, this quotation showing that some of the evils of the present situation are appreciated by the public:

"I may say, with reasonable confidence, that nine-tenths of the corporations now engaged in shaping public opinion would welcome the opportunity to abandon that policy and gladly confine their attention and devote their moneys to none other than the purposes of their creation. If they could be relieved from the annoyances and dangers attending the attacks of the place-hunter and the professional agitator. and be protected against the demands of greedy party bosses in charge of party organizations, they would submit without remonstrance to all proper restraints and forget their past political affiliations in the more energetic prosecution of their corporate business."

The proposition which I wish to advance is the desirability of legislation substantially uniform in its character throughout our several States of the Union, which shall fairly, definitely and with reasonable permanency establish equitable relations between street railway companies and municipal and State governments. The most ardent advocate for heavy franchise taxes or governmental ownership could not but admit the desirability of such a solution of this question from every point of view. Surely there is no street railway company but would deem a permanent settlement of this character most advantageous. The banker would be spared the long and careful consideration of the particular and special conditions in some small city and State before making his loan, and the patrons of the street railway company would receive the benefit of that improvement in service which would result from a fixed tenure and a lower rate of interest upon the money invested.

I can devote but little space to the question of municipal ownership. If the term "municipal ownership" includes municipal operation, which has usually been understood to be the case, I believe that the tendency of the experiments already made abroad, and the knowledge which will result from a fair minded study of the subject, will be toward the abandonment of any such proposition. Not the least important reason for such a belief is the fact that street railways, in this country at least, have long since outgrown municipal boundaries in the sense of one company being confined to one munici pality. Rapidly they are also outgrowing State boundaries. The natural tendencies of the business, therefore, are such as would greatly complicate the questions of ownership and operation by municipalities. Still further, the rate of interest which has been earned upon the money invested by municipalities in Great Britain in street railways has been extremely small, and the facilities afforded have been most inferior to those enjoyed in this country.

In general, aside from the question of municipal ownership,

governmental restrictions upon the construction and the operation of tramways in Great Britain have been so severe that the citizens have been deprived practically, until the present time, of the benefits which have been enjoyed by the citizens in this country, growing out of the freer opportunities which have in the past been afforded investors to provide tramway facilities for cities and towns.

Unquestionably, the most important social benefits, development of real estate, and increase of taxable property, have resulted from the general policy which has been in vogue in the United States. Why, then, should our legislatures and municipalities consider changes of a restrictive character calculated to reduce the profits of tramway operation, and consequently restrain and dwarf its future development? We are told by the so-called "economists" that such is the trend of thought. Why should there be such a trend of thought if a fair investigation is given the subject?

Presumably, it will be generally admitted that the only proper source which can be drawn upon for payment of taxes, rentals, assessments for paving, street cleaning and other similar burdens, is the gross revenue, and consequently the net revenue of the street railway company; that this gross revenue is contributed by the public; that, therefore, all such burdens are taxes levied upon the public who use the cars. It must then follow that every burden of this character is one tending either to increase the fares, to maintain them at a high level, or to diminish the facilities afforded the public in the quality of cars and tracks, frequency of service and its general maintenance. A company, unfortunately, is regarded as an entity rather than as an association of individuals. What ownership could be, in fact, more public than the ownership of a street railway corporation? Its shares can be purchased by every one, and investigation will almost invariably show such ownership to be widely disseminated, and largely among a class of citizens, male and female, who can ill afford the impairment of the anticipated revenue. What greater benefit could be conferred upon our citizens than legislation of a character calculated to eliminate from street railway securities their speculative nature, and place them substantially upon the basis of a savings bank deposit?

Many persons have pointed out the social benefits of street railways, especially electric street railways, in particular, due to the American system of a uniform fare, regardless of distance, within a reasonable radius from a center of population. Examination of this subject, especially in contrast to the European systems, will show extraordinary advantages of the American system. The very small fare for the very short distances, which has been the general custom abroad, has neutralized the benefit which otherwise would have been