The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-12-28
Corporations and Councils.

THIS is distinctly commercial age
Thousands of people have said that
and all the rest of the people have
heard it, but still it's full signifca nee
is not appreciated. The almighty dol
lar and how to get it, is the problem of
the day. In the struggles of the mass
es after the same thing there is not
much consideration given to ways and
means so long as the ultimate end is
accomplished. While A or B or G. is
not slow in finding something to con-
denim in the business methods of his
rival, still it is likely that his own
would stand the test of scrutiny no
better. Right or wrong is not the
question where money is concerned so
long as the law can be avoided. The
golden" rule of this golden age is do
others or they will do YOU"
In the midst of such conditions it is
not to be expected that the community,
state, city, town or village will be
treated with any greater consideration
L1du us C1l1LCuS die dOSLSlOuICO W
show one another. Methods that are
good enough for the people to use in
their dealings with one another are
certainly good enough for a city to use
in dealings with others. When cor
poration, such as an Electric Lighting
Company or an Electric Railway Com
panY, or any other such organization,
knocks at the door of the City Council
chamber, that city has a business
proposition on hand and it need not
expect that the said corporation is go
ing to stand on ceremony or employ
the business methods of the man who
cannot tell lie simply because it is
dealing with city rather than an in
dividua1. The city ought to under
stand that the corporation if it wants
a franchise is going to use all the
means at it's command and is not going
to shy at bribery or any other possibil-
ity of gaining it's point.
The Company is careful to do ali it's
own work. But the city is represented
by irresponsible agents who like the
rest of weak and suffering humanity
have a yearning for filthy 1ucre. The
result is that the corporation gets just
about what it wants, while the abused
popu1ace revi1e the name of the corpo-
ration and anathematize the bodied
aldermen. But what, pray, could the
people expect? Business is business
and everything is a business from the
political job to the pulpit. Of course
the aggrieved citizens mourn such cor
ruption, but it is only the result of the
principles they are all practicing, and
it is a safe wager that many of them
look with envy at the A1derman's piece
of the pie.
Many will call the above pessimism,
but call it what they will it is true,
and while it remains true franchise
gra abiding Corporations and franchise
granting Councils will flourish and
wax strong. There are only two pos
sib1e remedies. One is the reformation
of the whole industrial society, which
is about as likely as a repetition of the
little episode in the life of Joshua when
the sun was made to stand still in
Gideon and the moon in the valley of
Aja1on; and the other is a change in
the system of compensation granted
Aldermen whereby that Office will be
made sufficient of plum in itself to
render it worth keeping and put the
need of perquisites out of the ca1cu1a-
ton, while those who are acting as the
city's agents shall be made accountable
for their acts.