Telegram-herald., 1888-01-10

BE 4scistsH ot -lrc1r J11Ea J4-z-
sos Ia Tia eisulfia A2ht cz-s = q the
grs4test Ia gcFtsaes. 1hs sbill,y sad posi-
tion & Jadgs JAcKs0s gives iI sAs f1Ecs
Of laz in thia Jasilciai Cifcals. .somprinlag
TIE States q Aie1igan, 0Eio. ksntaeky
kad Isnaefses. Ia another column VII
be f0and > syaoDsis of ths dec.sion. II
% lls xFouat upon vhiaa she Judge bases
his asc.s.on Shieh gives Z shs greatest
interest. IA brisf be helis tass tks ely
dad 1ot have power q zigs % any FsFsos
o. corporation ths rizat - Use TIE pablic
slrssts sxel1slssly i1r erecting poles and
other supports q siEss Tor conducting
slaetpeix snd tat tie 0r1lusnes passed
by the Coumoa Coalcil oi tais elly II
AprJ, ls80. Ia WL4ssa ths Coaneli granted
b. ths GFsnd Rapids Electric LlSat
snmpaRy the right % use the sSrests sx
elaslyels Tor fifteen years toE the purposes
ssalsJ, waa 1lir1 pirss AMI absolutely
void, 50 Tar - Is included q zT4ns u sach
exclusive fsAaealss.
Ihls dscsi0u Affects net oniy exclusive
grants 10 electric Lshf onpauiss, ba- il
Il grounded upon doctrine 50 broad
t1at e takes Ia exclusive grants f0s ell
purposes. street. railroads. water plpss,
gss pipes. and kindred enterprises.
Ci course the decision is only upon
eozs. .laFatlons Of the lsgalify OF such
grhDla. Nevertheless iE - in harmony
With public sentiment and with we'll
settlsd rules u Hublic rolicy. upon the
SUBJECT Of the gran,s OF exclusive fran
ehisss which give nosopoliss OF public
service.
lt - noticeable that ons % the csses
upon which Judge JAcKsOS lays grea.
strsss. Is csss decided b. the Supreme
Court Of Michigan. Il whieh he oplnion
vas written ty Judge CooLEr, vho was
thsn upon to bench. Ia that case
decided ia lS7i-a contrsc. whereby the
the village q Kalamazoo undertook to
grant exclusive market privileges for a
limited term, vas declared 10 be void. be-
caase it created monopoly and operated
ss restriction upon the powers OF future
Councils.
Without criticising a. al the Grand
Rapids Electric Light Company but
speaking generally. 10 believe that
the decision % this case will receive
the sanction OF people generally. Ia the
trst place 50 many persons TO whom sx-
elusive rights are given, abuse their
privileges and use them to practics
sxtortion uron the public, that they get
vsry little sympathy. In the second
place. the pEbhc viii &c. better and
cheaper and more satisfactory service in
matters which are left open TO fair COM
petition. This Is sn age Of progress, new
improvements aud disc0vsues arc os
daily history. Let the peopis have the
benefit of them. Let them have not only
the osst kind bat the best os the kind.
AIRY man vhO has good thing which
tbs public wants wiz lad 4 market for it
a. a fair prics and WIEN better thing is
cTsred 10 should improve bis, or step
ous.
Il may be argued shat the public viii
tot invest IN new enterprises unless they
are secured against competition. Yet
nsn are Investing every day in enterprises
wheysin they entsr into the livelisst con-
petition. So FAR &c Tho Electric Light
Conpsoy of this city Is concerned il is
said and has aos bssn disputed tbs. in 10
other ciiy IN Michigan bss any compsny
been gi7su an exclusive Pfivilsgs FOR
electric lighting. Notwithstanding this
fact Tie slscsrio light has now been put
into many. perhaps ths majority OF our
cities. fact which siTords no argument
IN isver o. iae grsnt by this city.
The decision that The Couocil had no
power 70 grant exclusive privileges, dis
poses of t1e whole csss and every other
question in IL. and lesvss nothing else
orsn for discussion.