The Portland daily press., 1896-10-26

blackmailing schemes is clear enough
from the fact that they made it apply
to only two classes of corporations, those
engaged In the business of boating or
lighting by electricity or gas and those
engaged IN the business of Transmitting
intelligence by telegraph or telephone,
while thousand other kinds of bust
ness were left exposed to the black
mailers and the sfschemegs who had no
idea of really going into business.
Furthermore the legislature has been
repeatedly appealed to. to make it less
easy TO form corporations in this state,
for the very reason that many of those
now formed are Of a purely speculative
character and do not really intend to do
business, and has always refused.
The language of the act itself negatives
the assertion made in another part OF
the EXPRESSES article that it was not
| aimed at legitimate competition, since
the consent of the existing corporation
was made condition precedent of the
new compsny's doing business. No legis-
| lature would be stupid enough to sup
pose that an existing corporation would
shut ont corporal ions that did not really
intend to do business and lot In corpora
tions that did really intend to do
business-in other words shut out the
corporations that could do nothing but
vex them little and let in corpora
tions that could do them a real injury
by taking away a part of their bust
ness.
| We do not believe that any Intelligent
man can read the act In question with
out coming to the conclusion that tho
chief purpose OF the legislature. if not
| It's only purpose, WAS to secure to exist
ing companies monopoly and to shut
out competition of all kinds, legitimate
| and illegitimate. We do not take the
ground that such legislation Is always
defenceless. We recognize that unless
certain degree Of protection is given to
corporations engaged in busin ess that
demands large Investment, they are
not likely to be formed and hence the
| public will be without facilities and
conveaienoes of great benefit to it. The
1 ~ ~ AAAchoPOAy AZ boiA0WAdu ONtIuOu6.
From the very nature of the case some
enterprises must be monopolies or not be
| at all. On the other hand monopoIies
should BIZ created by legislation only
for the very best of reasons. So fal
as possible the legislature should avoid
comforting special privileges . on
individuals or corporations and leave al
many kinds Of business and enterprise
as possib open to general competition.
Every special privilege conferred il
more or less of blow to that exact
equality before the law which is the ohiei
corner stone of our repu blican structure,
and moves it a little out of place. Some
times they must be conferred, but when
they are conferred they should be sur
rounded with conditions and limitations
that will prevent their abuse. The
business of electric lighting may be one
privileges. We doubt it, but we are ready
to admit there is something to be said OF
the other side. But no electric light com
pany should be granted monopoly with
out the power being lodged somewher,
to compel it to keep its charges reasona
bic. In business open to everybody. com
petition or the fear of it, may be trustee
to keep down price to reasonable fiRur,
but in monopolies protected by law
there can be no such reliance, and ther,
must be substitute, unless the publi
is to be exposed to the danger whiol
. VI hioh 10 NJ ify,o a.
one, as our own experience has shown.
of being compelled to pay unreasonabl,
and extortionate prices. The legislatiy,
act we have bsen discussing makes ever,
existing electric light company in thi
state monopoly, with the power t,
any of these companies have abused theil
power we do not know. 1t may be they
have all been SO conscientious as to b,
content with al reasonable profit. L
they have, they have nothing to fear
and therefore will not oppose supervision
OF their rates. II they have not we ma,
expect them to do their best to prevent
such supervision. Certainly they ought
to be made by the next legislature tt
choose between competition and SUI
pcrvision of their rates. They ouQht
not to tie allowed to continue to monop
olize al the opportunities and to be abb.
to levy upon the public to any extern
they see fit.
AS this discussion arises out of thu
question of lighting our city streets
which has been done heretofore by the
Portland Electric Light Company, al
inference might ne drawn from our re-
marks prejudicial to that company. VIZ
wish to negative any such inference
We are not making war upon the com
pany, directly or indirectly. We do moi
nean to convey the impression that il
has charged the city unreasonable OF
extortionate rates. Furthermore VIZ
should hold, if the lighting Of the city
were open to competition, az does moi
seem to be the case. that the home com
pany should have the preference, Other
things being equal. Our intention