The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-14

~AS ~AS~ $4,000 ~ S"O ~
candidates for the Mayors Office, be.
cause of the close competition, led them
to be very sensitive to the popular
wish-to come close to the peopL
They we're at great pains to learn al
to know the popular opinion upon tn
railroad question. Having learned
they appealed to it. Every party and
faction emphatically against giving
away any more railroad franchises
That is significant. But, further EN-.
phasizing the evidences of the popu-
larity of strict equity in these matters,
Mr.. Wurster (now Mayor elect de.
clared in substance, if not in these ex.
act words: No more railroad fran.
chises shall be granted in Brooklyn,
except upon condition Of full annual
compensation to the city for the use OF
the privilege Mr.. Grout (the Demo.
cratic candidate) had uttered the same
sentiment before, and he, too, in ap.
pealing to the people, rang the changes
on it throughout his campaign. MI
Shepard independent Democratic can
didate) did the same, and so also dix I
the Prohibition candidate; notable
unanimity. In lnsideration of these
facts aud the circumstances surround
ing them, what better evidence could
be submitted, of a general and we'll
established public sentiment in Brook
Ign, demanding the taxation, in future!
Of railroad franchises, up to the full
annual value of the privilege of using
them, precisely as a private owner of
property would exact and get full
annual rental value for it's use, as a
condition of releasing his OWL right of
use to his tenant7
Respecting public experience in the
history Of railroad franchises in Brook
Ign, the misuse, and, 1 may properlt5
add, the abuse, of these special priViH\
leges has raised the question as to
whether it was not Unwise to have
granted them at all. And it has been
seriously suggested that it would be
wise for the municipality to resume
absolute jurisdiction over it's streets,
repOssess and use its own property, On.
j " the profits of that which is it's own,
and secure thus, also, decent and or
derby use of it. This is not an uninteI-
proposition. It is a great i'm
provement IN present methods. Yet
the other, and popular method, appeals
to US with great force; the refOrma-
tory method suggested by the recent
and distinct expression Of the public
sentiment in Brooklyn, i. e., that here /
railroad tenants of our public I
streets be required to pay full annual
rental value for the privilege. That
popular proposition is just; it is a long
step in the right direction; it has
evolved from experience and through
events, and it is pre- eminentLy practi-
cable because it already has the pub
lie approval; it is popular.
"We are forced to admit that to re
quire all future acquirers of street fran
to pay full annual compensa-
ton to the city, brings us face to face
with another problem; but the next
one is an easy one if WI solve the first
one in the way popularity proposed.
The next question will be raised by new
franchise acquirers-required to pay
annual compensation. They will ask,
What about these companies holding
which have been obtained
without any compensation to the city,
or by payment of a lump sum at the
of requirement, which, If dis
over all the years OF the time
Of the franchise, amount to nothing,
Or next to nothing annually The
and the Legislators, in their be-
half, after having answered the first
demand suggested by the public sentl-
ment of our city, will answer the sec 4
ond question, which will be raised by
new holders of fran chises who pay toEr
their privileges, without any hesitation
whatever. Indeed, I think we are
prepared to answer that second ques-
lion before it is asked. Are we mott