Telegram-herald., 1891-01-18
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TIE street railway complications Ap-
par - mulnpiy. No sooner - ens
psoposs,o. shslvsd By the council than
another ono - presented HE ~he's
business u involved in . determined
effort on the part of these representing
conflicting lnterssts 10 preoapisse en-
tAnglenaentA aud dslhoalt4es, unoef
which they hope v reap . ssnsnl AZ
il notorious that ell corporations ssinos
. greater greed shan private indis'aaais.
II they possssssd the earth ITSELF. the
moon would soon ~ encnnlbeIeo vita
mortgage. onos = corporation
secures vested rights and sxusoTdin-
ary privileges from the people, II ss-
suIues an indifference aud arrogance
that are never for q moment moalned
until is 10 confronted with the voice OF
lndlgnataon expressed through TIE isw
maklnK bodies creating II. Then II be-
comes at once accommodating ana
sollcitous. Another factor that nlini-
mires the intoieranes Of oorporstons 70
competition. In the case OF faiiways.
the greatest benefits 10 the people have
been secured by composition. LAWS
became simple means by which
the great established railway routes
were able 70 extort exoTbltant rates
and fatten upon the people. The span
ming Of the country by the great trans
continental railway lines established
competilion that secured results the
law faiied To attain. Ii ~as only when
this composition became 60 active that
wholesale determinations we're made
between the large and small shippers,
that the Inter State act wAs demanded
10 control il. And this law 10 today
honored more by IL violation than OBJ
servance.
1t ia dangerous experiment. Tor .
municipality 10 grant exclusive rghts
and privileges 70 any one corporation.
No matter what the qualifications, re-
strictions or conditions may be, the
practice 10 attended with grave peril u
the people, for II invites monopoly
authorized TO EXIT under license OF e1'
uress grants from the municipality.
1 nis carries with II the indifference to
public convenience that 10 marked
characteristic OF many such corpora
tions, 10 say nothing about the oppor'
tunity afforded To exact arbitrary trib-
ute from the public without fear OF 6
competition that would interfere there
with.
There may be good and sufficient
reasons why franchise should not be
granted TO the Reeds Lake Electric
Railway Company, but those reason,
are necessarily open 20 the suspicion
that not the people. but some Other
corporate interest 10 urging them
Whether the street railways OF thu
city are controlled and operated by Z
single company, or two, whose Interest,"
are identical, is a matter that should b<
weighed inconslderlng the future use
and occupation OF the public streets
The council will act not unwlsely II II
listens first to the unprejudiced argu-
ments of the people. Ii there be nc
demand for increased acccmodatlons
in street car service, then the proposed
route would be- regarded ~ specuia
| tive enterprise, and as euch tie council
| would not be warranted ln aiding II by
granting the use Of the stre-is-
Mr.. Wexselius and his associates vii
submit another propoel ton I"she coun
Gil next Monday, plecslng the company
| to certain covenants and condition.
that will commend themselves. They
offer q bond IN the sum Of $40 900 Il
construct, MAINTAIN and operate Ar
electric street railway from Campau
Place to Reeds Lake, independent and
separate from all other companies ol
| consolidated interests for = term Of
years. They will also establish a five
cent fare, that shall not be increased
during that period.
These propositions are broad ones
They reveal purpose at once sincere
| and earnest. The question for the
| Council will be: Competition and low
rates of fare, or consolidation and
monopoly