Arizona republican., 1894-06-29
VOX POPULI. The Fiji Versus the Aus tralian System. An Informal Election Held Last Night. The Masten Franchise De- feated by Popular Vote. The Common Council Dazzled by the Eloquence of MT. c. J.
 BeauVaiS.

The same spirit of obstruction which unsuccessfully opposed the introduc- ton of the horse car system seems to have gained strength within the last half dozen years. It was sufficiently powerful last night to defeat the Mas ten franchise. At the present rate of increase in the next half dozen years the spirit will be strong enough to ob- literate the present electric system and restore the old reliable adobe character of the town upon the foundations of the present intrusive and unwelcome stone and brick structures. The council not only defeated the franchise, but cut of all other communication with the south side than that afforded by the stage lines.
 The same crowd was present that at- tended the meeting on Monday night only. perhaps. 1t was bigger and more tavora ble to the franchise.
 The council plunged into the middle of things and took up the new ordinance which had been remodeled to meet the objections to the old one. It limited the life of the franchise to thirty years, provided that no other cars sthan street cars should pass over the proposed track. and that the operation of the road should in no way obstruct the fran chise of the north and south road. All provisions and terms of the ordinance were made conditions of the rights granted In it and the substantial failure of the grantee to comply with the con- dition were made to work complete forfeiture of his rights.
 After the reading Of the ordinance a petition in favor of the franchise signed by property owners along the proposed route was presented. This was fol- lowed by another petition of the same tenor signed by majority of business men in other parts of the city A re- monstrance against the franchise was read. An amusing peculiarity of it was that many oi it's signers were also signers of one or the other of the pe- titions to which it was opposed.
 Judge Campbell representing the obstructionists addressed the council. His objections were precisely the same as those of Monday night for said he, the ordinance was in no way different in effect from the former one.
 Judge Kibbey replied that the objec- tions were too nonsensical to be met. If the council was not already convinced of the advantages of the franchise he dispaired of being able to make the sit uation any clearer He agreed with Judge Campbell that the ordinance was practically the same as the other. Whatever changes had been made were made to meet the childish objections of the opposition and he launched into an argument in favor of the franchise sufficiently clear and convincing to have saved the measure if it had not already been ordained to defeat.
 Ex-Mayor Cole spoke briefly against the franchise which, he said, was twenty years behind time. No other modern city, he said, was disgraced by dummy line. "How about Birming- ham, Ala. ?" asked some one. And Spokane" ?" cried another. "And Koch. ester, N. Y. ?" said a third.
 Capt. Hancock made speech in favor of the franchise. Unoer any other condition than that Of foregone conclusion it would have been telling. H e had been in Phoenix since the ear. Hest times; he had cut sagebrush from the ground on which the city hall stands and had noted all improve ments and all opposition to them. He remem bered that the franchise for the mule car system had opponents who predicted that disaster would follow. He closed by appealing to the council to act for the good of the city and dis regard the kickers.
 The orator of the night was c. J. Beauvais, the duke of the demi monde district. To him may be offered the thanks of the opposition for the defeat of the franchise. He depicted the an noyance to which the noise and dust and dirt of a dummy line would sub- i ject the residents of "block No. A. Ills interests were there and one of his interests was that the slumbers of the tenants of that sacred district should not be disturbed by bowling, ehriek- ing, smoking locom otive. True it WAS that railroads were contributory to the prosperity of cities but no city could disregard its duty to it's prostitutes Better forego little prosperity than sacrifice their comfort.
 The duke of the demi monde district feared that If the dummy line became 8 thing of fact that block fl would be come section in which no self respect ing person would live.
 The mayor looked at the council anG the council looked at the mayor. This was horrible contingency which haC never occurred in the consideration o the franchise. Block fl demoralized That godly spot which had been sci aside and dedicated amid the jeers anG taunts of an unappreclatlve pubic
 Perish the thought! That last observa
 ton of MT. Beauvais accomplished wha
 the forensic eloquence of Campbell