The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-12
THE ACT OF 1893.

A crisis has arrived. No man or set of
men should be above the law; no citizen,
however poor or humble, should be be-
meath its protection. Public servants
should not be permitted to violate the law
with impudent impunity. Ii the sense of
honor does not restrain, the fear of pun
ishment should deter them.
Here is the law of California, which the
Solid Eight are defying, ignoring, tramp
ling under foot:
An Act providing for the sale of rail-
road and other franchises in municipali-
ties and relative to granting franchises.
Approved March 20, 1898.
The people of the State of California,
repres ented in Senate and Assembly, do
enact as follows:
Section L. Every franchise or privilege
to erect or lay telegraph or telephone
wires, to construct or operate railroads
along or upon any public street or high
way, or to exercise any other priuitege
sChGteUer hereafter proposed to be
granted by the Board of Supervisors,
Common Council or other governing or
legislative body of any county, city
and county, city, town or district
within this State, shall be granted
upon the conditions in this act
provided, aud not otherwise. The
fact that an application for such
franchise or privilege has been made to
such Board of Supervisors, Common
Council or other governing or 1egisla-
tive body, together with statement
that it is proposed to grant the same,
must first be advertised in one or more
daily newspapers of the county, city
and county, city, town or district
wherein the said franchise or privilege
is to be exercised. Such advertisement
must continue every day for at least
ten days, and must commence at least
thirty days before any further action
of the Board of Supervisors, Com
mon Council or other governing or
Legislative body. The advertise
ment must state the character of
the franchise, or priritege, proposed to be
granted, the term of its continuance, and
if a street railroad, the route to be ira
Uersed, and the day on aChich tenders aUilI
be receiued for the same. On the day so
stated the board, or other governing
or legislative body herein mentioned,
must meet in open session and read the
tenders. The franchise, or priUilege,
mast then be awarded to TIE highest bid
der; provided, however, that nothing in
this section shall affect a special privi-
lege granted for shorter term than two
years.
Sec. 2. Any member of any Board of
Supervisors, Common Council or other
governing or legislative body of any
county, city and county, city, town, or
district of this State tchO, by his vote,
UtoIates, or attempts to violate, the provi-
sions of this act, or any of them, SHAH be
guilty of a nliSdenteGnOr and of frGtfeas-
a,sce in office and be deprived of his of
flee by the decree of court of compe-
tent Jurisdiction, after trial and convic-
ton.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect i'm
mediately.
upon the constituted authorities-the peo-
pies counsel, the District Attorney, the
City and County Attorney-to see to it
that this law is enforced.
A crisis has arrived. 1t is time for
plain words. It is a time for action. The
law of 1898, governing the granting of
street railway and other franchises, must
be obeyed,