The Saint Paul globe., 1898-02-01
FACTS AND PRINCIPLES
I'm Conclusion as the Sense
of the Meeting.


Secretary Helm read several letters bearing
on the matter of granting franchises to mu
nicipal corporations. written by men who
have given this subject considerable study
Among the writers were Seymour ID. Thcmp
son, Albion w. Small. John McVIckar. Gold
win Smith and Richard T. Ely.
Before the meeting came to an end the fol
lowing resolutions were drawn and adopted
with no dissenting vote:
Resolved, That the following declaration
of facts and principles be and the same
are hereby adopted as expressive of the
sense OF a large body Of residents, tax
payers and citizens Of St. Paul. in mass
meeting assembled, on the S1st day OF
January, 1885, to wit
First-That no public grants or fran
chises should hereafter be granted to
any individual. company or corporation
for a longer term than twenty years,
and only upon reasonable compensation to
the city, and no such grant shall be valid
unless confirmed by the people at one
election.
Second-That no exclusive right. privl-
lige or franchise be hereafter granted in
and to any Of the public streets or grounds
or to any street railway. telephone or
lighting company; End that such grant
shall always remain subject to the super
vision and control OF the common coun-
ell.
Third-That the rate and charges to be
exacted from the public for any such pub
lie service shall at all times be reason
able and remain subject to the supervi-
sion and control Of the common council.
Fourth-That reasonable rate or charge
for any such public service in con-
formity with the decision Of the supreme
court OF Minnesota IN the Steenerson case.
reasonable profit on the cost of dupllcat-
ing the instrumentalities and labor in
volved in such service at the time of
fixing such rate or charge.
Fifth-That the powers Of the common
council, with reference to the granting of
public franchises, should be stringently
and narrowly circumscribed especially in
view of the fact that large proportion
OF the best public opinion of the country
today favors the municipal ownership Of
all economic monopolies, that there IL a
marked tendency Of legislation In that di-
rection, and that organized labor through
out the land has pronounced unqualihedly
favor Of such municipal ownership.
Sixth-That all corporations enjoying
and exercising valuable public franchises
should Of right pay equitable and just
proportion of the public burdens.
That charges OF the continuous and
fragrant violation of this principle by the
street railway, telephone and lighting
companies Of this city have been persist
emily and publicly made, and are appa-
rently well founded. That in justice to
our taxpayers such charges should receive
searching and critical investigation,
without fear favor.
Seventh-That adequate street railway
connections with the union depot are a
crying need of our city, and the refusal
OF Ine street railway company to comply
with the ordinance Of the common coun-
Gil providing for such service deserves the
unqualified condemnation of our citizens
Eighth-That the proposed operation of
express trains by the street railway COM
pany on University avenue, at a necessa-
rily dangerous rate of speed, constitutes a
serious public nuisance, a constant menace
to the lives and limbs of large propor-
tton Of our citizens, and q confiscation Of
the property rights of abutting owners.
That the unceasing efforts of the street
railway company to wiring from the COM
mon council proper authority for that pur-
pose, in notorious defiance Of public senti-
ment, is calculated to arouse the lust
resentment Of all law-abiding citizens, and
is deserving Of the most severe censure.
Ninth-That the rights of the street rail-
way company, under its pretended per-
petual cable franchise, and the general
power of the common council to grant
public franchises, should be definitely de-
termtned by judicial decision before any
new or additional street railway franchise
is granted. And the board of aldermen
are, therefore. urgently petit:oned to pass
the proposed ordinance purporting to re-
peal said cable franchise. with a view to
determining such questions.
Tenth-That a copy Of these resolutions
be transmitted by the secretary to the
charter commission. the common council
and the judges Of the district court of
this county.