The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-31
ANTI-STREET RAILWAY
Mass Meeting Chilled for Market
Hall Tonight

Inc following call for mass meet
ing 10 protest against possible en-
croachmentS on the peoples rights hv
the street railway. company was left
at the G o e. office last night:
10 the Citizens of st: Paul: A public mass
meeting has been called for o'clock Ri :
evening at Market hall, St Peter and West
seventh streets, and we respectfully urge
every laW-abdingz resident CT this gre at mn
hlcipality who mas his cwn interes S and those
oI the city at heart to attend and voice his
sentiment The mass meeting has been Or
ganlzed by people in every walk of life tbs
merchant. the laborer and the professional
man as well. The labor and trades nnjnn..
of this city have given, the movement an on
clal Endorsement; and we think that those IN
charge OF the arrangements for such meet
ing would be derelict in their duties to their
fellow citizens and guilty OF a breach Of ~ .
trust reposed in them If they failed to -
claim the meeting enc Of the most imncrtan+
events in the history OF our city.
me prime object of the meeting is to oh
tam an expression. of public opinion uaon tba
problem of controlling rights in our nubiic
streets and recurring corporations exe(-
cislng public franchises such as the strcar
railway: telephone and gas end electric Tpht
companies, to pay their share of public tave.
and of devising proper means of sunervisian
ana control over all corporations engaged in
public service. "
strong public sentiment of the people of
TINS state has been the means of inducing orr
legislature to give the people of our lareer
communities. such as st. Paul MipnearoJis
anu Diiutn, an opportunity to provide their
local governments upon home rule pripci-
pies. p ~
In compliance with this public sentiment
cur district judges have appointed a charter
commission which is now engaged in con-
sider;ng the eXpedi@ y of restricting ths NV
ers OF the city council with references TO grant
ing valuable privileges to such public cor
porations. The charter to be framed by this
commission will soon be submitted for adon-
ton to the votes of the people And II is of
the highest importance that the same should
truly voice the enlightened sentiments of the
masses. There is a widespread conviction ex-
listing all over this country ct the present
time that street railway, telenhone, gas and
electric light companies should be carefully
restricted in their exercise of these public
franchises; and that tax payers should re-
cefVe an adequate return from the grant Of
valuable privileges. The future prosperity
ard welfare of our city Is vitality involved il,
this matter.
And. in anticipation of such restrictions to
be embodied in the new charter, vigorous
efforts are being made By our city railway
company to wiring from the present council
valuable grants in the public streets without
adequate remuneration and for a long period
of years.
In view Of these facts strong public pro-
test should be made against any precipitate
action by the peoples public servants and a
clear declaration Of principles to be submitted
to the charter commission as expressive of the
sentiment of the ems5ses should be promul-
gated ct such mass meeting
Charles w. Hall, Chairman: Moritz Ham.
Secretary of United Organizations for Mass
Meeting.
T. j. Conlin. Chairman: T F. Thomas Sec
rotary of Executive Committee CT Trades and
Labor Assembly CT ST. Paul.