The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-04
ON TRIAL.

department of the city government are
now on trial in the matter in con-
troversy between the city and the
street railway company. The assem-
lily has passed, by unanimous vote
OF all the members present; the resolu-
Of the company as to its cable line on
Fourth and Third streets and Selby
avenue, and has directed the city at
torney to take all necessary steps to
enforce it's decree. This will come be-
fore the board of aldermen at the next
meeting, and the public will wait with
no little interest and curiosity the re-
suit of its elaboration and action. 1t
will be a fair and square test of the
devotion of the members to the peo-
pies interests or to those of the street
railway company. We cannot have
any more shilly- shallyirg or any more
of the crude and stale devices proposed
for the last year and half of passing
different ordinances on the same sub
ject and having them neutralize each
ether.
A great many people inst. Paul are
still in doubt whether to believe that
the council has been sincere in at
tempting to do something with the
street railway company and has
simply suffered from Incompetence, or
whether it has been all the time play
ing the company's game. There will
be no question as to the issue this
time. The resolution, as passed by the
assembly, raises the question squarely,
and requires and admits of no amend
ment 1t is in the form approved by
the corporation attorney. An attempt
to amend it in the board Of aldermen
would be exactly the same as a vote
against it. 1t would indicate a deter
mination to sustain the street
railway company in its policy
of denying reasonable service
and refusing to submit to rea-
sonable conditions. More than that,
there is every reason to think that the
testing of this matter in the courts will
be productive Of benefits to our peo-
pie that reach far beyond the simple
question of the cable line and its
operation. 1t involves considera-
tons of the validity of the COM
panys franchise in general; and we
have no doubt and the public has
none, that this franchise is as full Of
holes as a sieve.
There is no desire anywhere as far
as we can find, to do injustice to the
company, or to. exclude it from its
reasonable rights and privileges.
There is a determination that it shall
not hold itself superior to the public
altogether, or lay down new and i'm
possible conditions on which alone
is no time like the present for having
the fight out to a finish. AS far as the
cable line is concerned there seems to
be an unquestioned violation of obliga-
tions sufficient to warrant general
forfeiture It is desirable above all
things to have this tested, and to have
it done at once. We cannot see how,
for any conceivable reason, there
should be a single vote in the board of
aldermen against the resolution adopt
ed by the assembly. We hope" and are
prepared to.believe that. the approval
of it there will be equally unanimous.
1t is we'll for the members of the lower
branch of the council to remember that
the eyes of the people are upon them;
and that, as far as their own political
futures are concerned, no act of the
whole term of office will compare in
Importance or in the decisWeness of
it's consequences with the vote, that is
to be taken on the question of forfeit
ure at the next meeting.