The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-02

or no party. ''''S'' - I''
A STIFF FIGHT.
"After having been elected. and when
/ became conversant with my duties as
mayor, and better acquainted with
methods in vogue to bleed the city, l
saw that there were other abuses which
needed to be looked into. such as gas
at Sl.75, while other cities were pay
ing 81 a 1000 or less: the exorbitant
price paid for electric lighting; the
bleeding in the council and school
board, the contractors ring which
made us pay two prices for street paw
ing. etc. The opposition of the entire
class who were profiting by these
abuses. of course, became more and
more crystallized as ! endeavored to
do my whole duty to the public, and
at last found myself alone with only
the masses Of the common people at
my back. Arrayed against me, either
through interest, political or social pres
sure brought to bear. were the cor
porations, pretty much Of all kinds,
the banks, the fashionable churches,
the lawyers whom corporations and
banks, hire, the architects and doctors
whom they employ and all the Eng
lish dailies Of our city.
II was called socialist. anarchist,
demagogue and pretty much every
thing that was bad, and the feeling
against me became SO bitter that to
all intents and purposes my family and
myself were socially Ostracized by the
people who were formerly our friends.
l state these facts not to give you to
understand that Detroit people are
worse than elsewhere or that l am an
exception. This opposition would have
been the same. no matter VINO was
mayor, provided he had labored for re-
form as did. The gentlemen to whom
l refer only stand for representatives
of q class whom YOU Will find In any
city, men Of good standing and charac-
ter hut who consider private interests
paramount to public welfare. Detroit
being a city of 100000 people, 1t was
not so large but what 1t was possible
for them to crystallize the solid array
of wealth and influence against me.
1t has always been so and will continue
to be, that any man who takes up the
cause Ct the common people or eXerts
his lahors in behalf of justice. equal
ity and right, will, when he interferes
with the claims of the favored few.
or disturbs existing conditions by
which they profit. be ostracized. hated
and misrepresented. Any man who re-
ceives the support of the masses or
has their interests at heart, Is naturally
called a demagOgue. Had ] known in
advance how 1t would be, l dare say
courage might have failed me. say
this as a warning to others.
THE very people who were lOudest
in their denunciatiOn of the street rail-
way company's methods, when 1t came
to their particular abuses and privi-
leges being attacked. Joined forces with
the car companies and did all In their
power thereafter to thwart my efforts
to reduce fares and recover to the city
the stolen franchises.
WHIPPED IN COURT.
"As regards the suit at issue: the city
won it's case before the federal circuit
court, but upon appeal before the Unit
ed States Court of Appeals, the city
lost. The city brought suit to test the
validity Of an ordinance which extend
ed the franchise so as to cover more
than 30 years, this being the limit of
time for which a charter can be grant
ed to a corporation by the laws Of the
state. The decision of the court being,
in effect, that although the equities
lay on the side of the city, the interests
involved to the bondholders and stock
holders were SO great that the court
felt delicacv of deoriving them of
what the court called their property.
I'm this connection l may state that
there Is a growing feeling in the United
States. and especially In the west, that
the United States courts have of late
years shown strong tendencies almost
uniformly to decide against the rights
OF the people, and in favor Of the SEEM
ingly more sacred vested rights Of cor
pOratiOns. Until about thirty years
ago, 1t was just the other way. Their
present attitude may, perhaps, be ac-
counted for when we consider that
United States judges have almost uni
formly before their appointment, been
prominent corporation lawyers, that
often the Influences which recommend
them for appointment are those of
large corporations or stockholders in
them, and that their association and
environment while upon the bench Is
largely of this class. Whether these
SurmiSeS ere true or not. II Will in
deed be a sad day for our Republic
when the courts come to consider the
rights of the people and the welfare of
the working masses less sacred than
the supposed claims of rights of cor
porations, trusts and combines.
ITO revert to our struggle with the
street car company When the case
had been decided against the city. the
company became more arrogant than
ever, it's stocks having in the mean
time, and Just fifteen DAYS before the
last court rendered it's decision. been
bought by New York parties at
a figure much less than the stock
would have commanded. had 1t
been known by the owners U say
owners, not ourchasers) that the de-
cision would be In their favor. The
plant of the Citizens company the
company which gave us the most
trouble) can be duplicated today for
probably $3,OOO,0OO: yet I believe there
are out some $12,OOOO00 of bonds upon
which ii pays interest. This will show
you how profitable is the investment
! read In newspaper that the street
car plant of Philadelphia can be dupli-
Gated for $4,000. .000.yet it Is bonded and
pays interest on $112, 600, goo, and this the
people must pay for.
THREE-CENT FARE.
About the time that things looked
darkest, and it seemed probable that
the companies would have their own
way in spite of the people, induced
certain gentlemen of means to come to
Detroit and look the ground over, with
view of granting them a cheap-rate
franchise. My fight had been for a
reduction of fare. three-cent fare and
universal transfers. ] believed from
figures and evidences in my possession.
that three cents was adj a ride was
worth. and that at that price there was
handsome return. A new company
was formed to which the council gave
franchise of about Is miles of track.
the charge to be eight tickets for rs
cents in the daytime and six for 20
cents at night. and general transfers
over all its lines. The best streets and
principal paying thorOughfares were i'm
possession of the old company, hence
the new company took what 1t could
get. but asked for a terminal facilities
within the half mile circle of the city
hall. To this the old company object
ed. This then become the issue be-
tween those with me and those against
me