St. Paul daily globe., 1889-07-04

element in its value, and 1t would be
cruel to dispeI that fond hope. If
MIR. Lowry has i'll this counted with
out his host. it clearly does not
beho0ve the city council to abdicate its
functions as the guardian of the public
interests out Of considerations of pity
or sympathy for Mr.. Lowry or the
street railway company. Neither this
corporation nor its president can reason
ably expect to be exempted from the
ordinary business rules and aXiOms
which must and ought to be applied in
all these matters.
THE TRIBUNE ROASTED.
We have understood that it is claimed
to be impracticabe to lay and operate
cable lines on unSeWered streets. and
the changes upon this idea have been
rung ad nauSeum by certain news
paper, whose editorial writer upon the
question of the granting of these priyi-
leges, has fairly earned the cognomen
of John Bunyan's Mr.. Facing Both
Ways" In passing we desire to
say that the guise of friendship
for us which this newspaper has
put on is merely most transparent
disguise. We are not deceived by this
masquerade. We understand perfectly
to whom it and its editor belongs, and
that it is only following the seek" OF
its master, when it attempts to covertiy
apply the knife to our enterprise. We
can respect an open foe, buta pretended
friend cannot expect to be admired. A
sufficient answer to all this is that it is
simply not true, as has been amply
demonstrated by actual experience in
several notable instances.
Judge Shaw went on to state that in
Philadelphia and Pittsburg there are
miles of cable lines in operation on un-
paved streets. More than that, NleSSrS.
Anderson q Douglass offer, if desired,
to put in the sewers themselves, under
the direction of the city officials, and
will not ask to be reimbursed until the
sewers shall be needed and adopted by
the city.
AS to the impractibability of electric
railways claimed. he cited over a score
of cities where they are in successful
operation. Besides, has not Mr.. Lowry
himself contracted to construct an cleo
trio railway in st. Paul, for which he is
to receive bonus of S250,000?
Judge Shaw next turned to the OBJ
jectionS of certain persons who profess
to believe the city should not grant any
rights or privileges in this matter to
anybody. A somewhat gauZy but fam
cied sledge hammer argument used by
one of those gentlemen. who has made
himself quite prominent in this line, is
this: I'VE have now got one master.
Shall we better our condition by having
two?" That gentleman forgets that the
only feature of the present franchise
of the Minneapolis Street Railway COM
pany which in any way puts the city in
its power is the eXclusiveness claimed
for it. Anderson Il Douglass do not
ask any exclusive right. On the con-
trary they offer, at their own
risk and expense, to do what
men can do. to demonstrate that
this old exclusive franchise is not so
very exclusive; and the result Of the
theory advanced by the nO-grant gentle
men will be simply to rivet more firmly
the old chains by which they say we are
bound. They profess to believe that
The city ought to own and run all the
street railways itself The utter i'm
practicability of such scheme is at
once apparent to sensible men. The
city could not do this without saddling
upon itself an enormous debt, which
would be exceedingly irkSome to tax
payers.
FAIR TREATMENT ASKED.
In closing, Judge Shaw said that the
members Of the committee who went
East on trip of inspection have stated
that they were entirely satisfied as to
the ability of the people represented by
Anderson Il Douglass to accomplish
what they promise. He asked for fair
treatment, and if the council believes
this privilege should not be granted it
should say so squarely and not Shirk its
responsibility by subterfuge or indirec-
ton. There is no doubt as to what
the people want and there is no
theory upon which this application can
be refused, except and only upon the
assumption and decision Of the city
council that no person or corporation
other than the Minneapolis Street Rail-
way company can have, or shall ever
have any right or privilege to build and
operate street railways, of any kind or
character, in OF upon any street Of the
city Of Minneapolis. If the council is
prepared ia say this, we must submit.
But we do not believe this, he added
with emphasis.
When Judge Shaw finished, Mr.. An
derson briefly addressed the committee,
saying that before the council takes
action he hoped to be accorded the priv
ilege Of meeting any objection that
might be raised against granting the
franchise, and promised that any re-
quirement that is fair will be fuInlled.
He was willing to have it stipulated
that after a certain period tax OF SO
per car per annum would be agreed TO.