The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-02
TaEREVISEDCHARTER


~~@a fhe ezscf q r. enats8-s H4as
=. s<ogosssi eisF charter vita refer
- & she nsake-@p q ta~ 80 eo1heii.
- 1orks rrogaslflsa sz1d ne con-
- s-.r~ssse corporations. WITH yossr
- - = wssl repiss the other changes
s--s.sns4 Why. - EssY Judgment. they
- So = ar inigrT rather fnan a b<nest.
= ska essg.
Fxsan=foa OF Franchises.
~-nxt1seus along This Ire In sections
- = q article ~ of the proposed
- r,z~E q usE departure IL dels5-
So rseosnExgs pr5nrlVfe Thtek -
- q fsa pabi3c welfare. The sx-
- esssrter eansAlnz 10 provision for
H@A4m. extanasey Tire s3-calieA extern
- ~ re ssosssai lf.afe.I Street Raff@my
- rsssa sasan 3 procedure which -
$50 e present charter requirements
= whseh good iswytrs have considered
d a. lessf doubtful validity. A
- has 81 ia4as two principal sIe-
- ~ xasax. slz Route ard Duration.
=. srsxsssal Consolidated franchise sx-
=. fsrsseer - ssiz The amended fran
- ans fhe date OF expiration at De-
- Il f@sE Unfsr the 9uise Of a
as~ss nr~esasFasaf of toe wording OF a
80 nrsssaanne 4 series OF franchises COW
- she ps4scspai streets OF the city for
s.s-sx-kxo yeaTS psrporrs TO be grated
. .sls is nos equivalent TO granting a
- frznrhsss for that number Of years.
- ssetiretioa j. 9 IRE one. Could IL Ie-
| <..tg - grated without conforming 90
. sxssting ehar1er and being FIRST aaver-
- for eompettve bas7 No sacl1 pro-
..txrz was followed. and the f5fsy-ssar
s-.rehsss rests on this plain evasion of the
! .s~rssr Doubts existed A. the tire tbs
/ <rnrehixe was amsal8~si last summer Tire
s~zDzny sustained b. the United States
<esr< sas bispekiag the paving of Pike
.erxss aud Second avenue ~ refusing TO
4 rs part IL exztefed thls amendment
q tas price Of doing what Il had been abls
5 ssz3s under its original franchise. The
nv csuHcil granted the amendment de-
rmaass making sae best possible terms
= te payment of percentages. paving,
srrsfsss. esc. The avowed object Of the
esxpsny ia asking this franchise was TO
nxbss them 10 re0rgafize. and the plea
- made that ln the reorganization the
seesl Interests would be protested and
even an opportunity To redeem the prop
wfs A reorganization plan was devised,
AZ n Is common knowledge that 30 far
a tl.s principal local interests are con-
zwueG n Is 'frsexe-out," pure aud
smple The reorganization. however. has
so h~sn effected. and II Is altogether
5sobAbie that the doubtful validity of sha
NTH H. II the Consolidated company
soaid have come before the present or
xzy future city council and asked that the
kxzi forms Of granting an unquessioned
sfznehiss for the fifty-yexar term be COM
Fi<d rtth. the probability Is that they
spsld De met with n fiat refusal But
tAsrs are other ways of setting doubts al
~ In sections % and = OF article ~.
4 the new charter a plan OF extending
faschsses on a percentage OF receipts
asss - Incorporated IL ratified by the
psopss here will then BE- no conflict be-
tween The city charter and the Console
dk1ec amended fifty-year franchise. the
saArisr having been changed to III the
frARchlse.
Note also that I'm the same section - tho
ssx ehartsr viii prevent any Other com
psnt@s from securing franchise extension
snsii within three years OF the expiration
q Their franchise. Consider this In con-
htctien with that portion OF the Console
sSsen franchise relating to giving and TAX
iax Transfers from intersecting lines an
sT certain conditions. As part OF the
rnsider@tiora u the fifty-year amendment
E'e city council laid tho foundation for a
esntrai transfer system between the Con-
seiiaa1ed and intefsecting lines The sd-
fastage 10 the public of transfers With
Ell extra cost needs only to be mentioned
! q - appreciated. ~ the new charter Ia
adopsec free transfers from the consol,
esi~a 70 the university line cannot be com
srsied Tor eighteen years. 10 the NJ a3ison
street. IN" Tor fifteen years. 20 the James
s1se1 me Tor sixteen years: TO the Yesier
say cable for fourteen years. ana to ths
Eaiaaer avenue line for sixteen years.
sai aslds from this special Consolidated
saAfter legislation there are certainly
tsAFe objections to the whole system OF
attending franchises. Within the next If
isfn or twenty years. II we let well enough
Aone, AL Of the existing franchises Will
expire by limitation. Instead OF binding
ias city 70 policy OF franchise extension
e. pesgariy percentage basis. let us
s@@se the way clear for policy under
shleh the city can place a proper value
as~n them for another short term. offer
Ter BIDS and II none are offered al or above
ne hxea value, let the city retain and
easfate the system Let II be remembered
iaai these existing franchises expFre dur
rs the years when our city bonded aeht
maturing. Properly conserved. We viii
aaft In these expiring franchises the re-
saarces 10 meet considerable portion Of
ear debt II the new charter be adopted
And The principle of extending franchises
hereby approved by the voters. We have
SIMPLY agreed that these resources. are
comparatively worthless and can there
fnrv BE- sQnandered.
urge this point especially upon the
spilng men OF Seattle-the men who must
pay The taxes and manage the city nftecn
fearS hence. Study the street railway his
fefy 81 Glasgow and Torento. the poiicv
Mayor Pingree in Detroit. note tho
1rsna OF ths times and demand that the
1s.lifs Dc not sacrificed for present petty
gain.
Arbitration.
TIE closing portion Of section g Of ar
hss ~. q the proposed charter Is a bar
~ FsFognlti0n Of a principle which VAS
ssaessy striven for by minority 81 the
eaaytsf ccum sssion. bat ensasculstei hy
Fe1,f'onaise and rnvision. II ia wor1ed -
= e apply only 90 new franchises and ex-
LESSONS SET &c he granted There is little
e7aeSAtity and certainly no necessity for
~ new franchises fer many wears 20
saTs Under section - no franchise can
= attended until fifteen or twenty years
ssues. And yet no less an authority than
- SSsin, ~ the commission. I'm q comnau-
sssAiinn IN q morning paper was con-
sga'aistirg the street railway men en-
- Blessings q arbitration 20 come with
IS REVISED chsrter, What a delusion,
sorscd IS q is. the proposition IL idle "a
ried fcr the next fifteen years "a least.
hat consider the price we are asked 20
leF iris barren recnsnittoni \ vital.
saesni afh;iFs ton clause was rejected by
- majority 81 the commission on the
Vesae that e was retroactive legislation
- eeqia not be made - apply 20 existing
.'aaehises Then the clause was emascu-
go 50 Is nos 60 apply % existing fran
aasss IL the face % the recent expert
aoes q Rreol3vn. Philadelphia and other
'st tAis concession Of nop-anpiication
fNisfiag franchises ouKsst not 20 he per
H.ei onui the highest courts % the land
etaFe. X the new charter hc adopted
~ feesiay that concession Is ratified
reS1rme7' tv the peOple Under the