Show I Denver's Traction Problem 9 Ng E It If the dangers lan ers of or the reconstruction period is evident iz in Denver where the thic street railway railway rail rail- way ay company the municipal authorities s and the o the traction company arc are struggling t with the tile problem lem of increased operating costs The city authorities seem bent upon restoring the street car fares which were l o in effect ct before the war and undoubtedly have the sup- sup 11 port of the unthinking clement element of the public lublic Tho The traction trac- trac J 4 tion company on oil the tho other hand hun holds there is but one r 0 to meet the tho demand of the tile I way city and aud that is to re- re OJ duco 0 operating costs in conformity with the reductio i in far fares s. s Labor naturally is ono one of the biggest elements in tier de- de r the tile operating expensed of a street railway v company compan The he company announces wage reductions to tomake make operations under tinder the tho new faro fare possible with good grounds refuse to accept the reduction and Y hen Denver enver street railway traffic as a a. result is at a stand stand- still Notwithstanding Noh the fact that reductions in living liv liv- ing costs are arc much to bo desired all very over the co country country coun- coun un- un tr try thinking men nn and women will viii not indorse ors the plan adopted by the thc Denver city officials The Tue tion then period cannot be traversed in any such fashion A The Tho minded fair individual will see that the Denver er K Traction company is the victim of or the tile same pro problem lem as ns ita as well ivell as thi th the n average Crago citizen The cost of operations toda today for tho the company and GIbe he lIe individual I S. S f alike is is much higher than it was before the war Traction Traction Trac Trac- I b tion tiou tion cannot accept wage wago reductions because IM I e everything they the M S use costs them more mone money than it did before the tho war when traction companies enjoyed a margin n of profit profil five cent on fares Their heir wages have ha been increased sed since the declaration of- of war and this item alone mado made it for the company company to have It a higher lugner faro fare The company faces the same l living ling lem lern as the tho Everything E it uses costs more moro and the arbitrary demand of the eit city authorities for a return I to the old rate rata is is an invitation to bankruptcy unless adjustments adjustments ad- ad are aro also ma made e in operating costs The individual who compares compares the cost of or living today to to- day j with that of three years ago line has ms a a. fair understand underhand lag inS o of the Denver Den problem The Thc problem has hns not singled out ut any individual but applies to all 11 classes including j l 1 If individuals us well ivell as I service corporations public ho tho I they must have MO to avoid bankruptcy they arc are within their income U hen I this Is facilities to operate the end is is near So it is is that ll the e is destroyed margin n if it is have rc reduced expenses must Denver company If this to a decrease in iii in revenue rc If pro compelled accept concerned of all SniTs the satisfaction o helP lem is to be he settled settle to to tu distribute the tue hu burden hurden den t there cre must b be a disposition The defense of or the city is found m in a political promise which must yield Sonic some returns re- re ato property private prato respecting tl turns on un tile the pr capital invested If it were a municipal make the time reduction and co cover institution the thc city might but hut the thc eit city authorities have n e time the d deficit f cil from the time taxes tile the traction company to operate at l a no right to expect I direct l financial loss |