Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-03
CITY F FRANCHISES
municipalities Awakening to
Their Seal Value. .
RESTRAIN, NECESSARY
NECESSARY
Anteresttpg Paper Discussed by III. y,
tlonHl nlunicipai LeaSu., Containing
OF D.ali.E With Corporations
(Ry Telcgraph,)

| conference for good city government,
! The sessions were confined to papers
and their discussion. y paper hx MIR.
.Nlhcrt shaw. of New York. on The
! .ity IN the United Stntrs--,hc Propc,
| Scope Of Its Activity" was read by II.
| G. DcminS. of New York
~ the afternoon session Charles Rich
ardson. of Philadelphia read a paper
Oh Municipal Franchises'
| MUNICIPAL FRANCHISES
MI Charles Richardson. of phi!a,:c-
rhia, read II paper entitled '.Municlnal
| Franchises. He said in part:
1T is only during the last few years
that any considerable portion of The. -,.s-
| ldents of American cities have begun
To realize the immense value and i'm
portance of their local franchises
| Long before the attention If tn. y ~
pie was called to the subject shrewd lii,F
{anciers. professional politicians a,sl
party bosses had forescen the harvest
Of wealth and political power to h.
! reaped by those who could control tn,
giving of municipal franchises. The
| flnancicrs saw vast returns for small,
outlays and unlimited opportunities fo7
|stock-waterlnE, stock gambling and tn,
manipulation of market prices The
| professional politicians saw how the,
could control their workers and hcuch-
men by obtaining for them special priv
ileses patronage and profitable employ
| inFnt from companies depending on n,u-
| nicipal favor. The party bosses r,sl>
oncd upon lavish contributions from ;hc
| treasures "f such companies. aud tn,
! l'ahtlcal support of the thousands; who
| would own or deal in their stocks and
securities
| The process OF capturing franchises
from the agents of the people has pro
| Sressed so rapidly that in some cities
there seems I" be but little left for IT,.
public TO control In many places tn,
local government is So bound and HELM
less ard so entirely dominated BY tn.
''"Dl!c service corporations which it las
created and nourished. that many O.
the voters now regard it as powerless
TO promote their interests and unworthy
OF their respect OF support. Thu lack
81 wisdom and foresight which has b zen
shown by most OF our cities in conncc,
ton with their franchises may be fairly
..xssaasss & i:ssl tribe If Enaian.
selling for few Beads the land WhIc6
would have yielded them an annie n.,1
permanent support"
| SHOULD CHOOSE FOR ITSELF
MI. Richardson said the COMMITTEES m
Municipal Programme SIS unanimous ir
ne OPINION that the city should be free
20 choose for itself between the noli,y
Of leasing its franchises or Of r,t;Iininr
ana operating them for its own benefi,
| III any gwen case, and should b. clath.
with ample power for acquiring ana
managing public properties. The com.
m'ttee regards the possession of this
bower as essential 10 protect the inter
added motive for the watchfu, and IN
'eH!Sent participation of the peopl,. /.
me aHairs Of their local government
I lie committee is also convinced that
y mas peeh demonstrated by abundant
,Apsilence that in the interest of tn.
'unlic When city grants II franchise
[" Il private corporation association ar
individual: the term Of such gran,
should be limited tn a definite period
not exceeding 81 years: in addjf;on r
! my othc: form OF compensation H..
granite should pay the city a per cent
'te or inc gross receipts from thu exn-
| else ri the franchise: at the end of IN,
| Ier'od 1he plant of the grantee. Shout.
ntcoih" the property of the city if the
| 'a'tef 50 desire either without fuft, -,
compensation than the original grant
or. If additional compensation b.. pait
| II should not in any way include. or II,
BASED uron any valuation Of or alloy
| ahrc for the franchise itself which ot
! me termination Of the grant sho,lt!
4! 'So factn revert to tn. public: every
! grant or franchise should cont;,i,
ample provision. enforcea BILE hy forfeit.
ure 81 N" grant. or otherwise. to secure
4 eiichht public service at reasonable
l
TO render to the city complnt, accounts
OF its financial condition. including is
| receipts from all sources ard its cNpen-
ditUres for ali purposes such account
10 be public records: the books am, ac
| counts OF the grantee should be ut nj,
reasona bic times open TO the cxanlina-
| ton of the city's fiscal officer or his rep
| rcscntative
POWER TO INVESTIGATE
The tendency Of successful Gonna,
MES to try to conceal or DISCUS. Tn.
extent OF their profits makes ii neccs-
sary TOR the agents Of the city to have
very full powers OF investigation
| The question whether II should IL.
the policy of the city to try to Obtain
the largest recuniary returns in relief
II taxation. or to provide for tho loves,
practicable charges for the services t.
De rendered to the citizens is q difficult
ore But that each city :hould have the
rover to decide this question in its own
way. in the light OF its own need ana
| experience is clear.
| However they may differ anou:
| themselves in other respects neither
the advocates nor the opponents of NH
Ihirlpal ownership and operation can de-
ny the strong probability Of great pub
| lie advantage in enforced publicity ot
accounts of the grantees Of franchises
from the city: and that ii is obvious
| that with tho rapid growth Of ou, cities
sra the consequent changes in the cor
citions which make aud upmake tns
Taiues Of such franchises both to grant
ees and to the city q sourd public poi
| icy would seem to forbid the tying of
the hands of the next generation by the
bargains OF this generation. Nor can
i those Who believe In clothing a CITY
with the requisite power to liv,. its own
lfe and to work out the solution Of i S
local problems in the light Of its owr
needs and its own experience consist
entity oppose granting to a city author
lty TO decide for itself whether it viii
undertake to supply on its own account
those public services which are the usu
a! subjects of the grants of franchises
to private corporations"
Resolutions of coincidence on the
death of Colonel George Warning. OF
New YORK. were appropriately acted on
| by the executive committee
The executive committee Of the league
! has elected O. NJ. Clintock of Pitts