The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-15

sale to the highest bidder paying these- for a lump sum, I would say that my experience is that wherever bids are asked for by city governments, involv- ing a profitable business, that there are always combins tions that necessarily result in the franchise being sold at nominal figure, and pi o5abiy with con ditions that would cost the people many times the amount received by the city. It must be borne in mind that Mont- gomery Is not a large cty, and 1t could not be expected that such competition for the gas franchise of @ city of only 13.000 white inhabitants could be ob- tained as in a city like Nashville hay ing probably four times the number of white people.
 Concerning the Petition. Another objection which is particu- larly stated in the petition handed me by Mr, Matthews, signed by large number of most reputable citizens, and which has had my most careful at- tention is that such privilege should not | tv years. In the main, believe in the principle of short-time franchises. but as to it's being the public policy of the State, as stated in the petition, I must beg to differ with the gentlemen. Recently the Committee on Municipal Corporations of the Constitutional Con. | vention unanimously reported an ar. | ticle for adoption. embracing this very subject. which. after having a full con sideration, was defeated in the conven- ton by a large majority. Certainly, the Constitutional Convention, compos, ed as 1t Is of men of the highest intel. lligenee and integrity. would have em- bodied this provision in the Constitu. tion, had 1t been thought to be the best policy for the State.
 | Then, there are other matters to be considered in reference to the term of franchise, especially where large amounts of money are to be invested. as claimed by the Light Company, for the purpose of making first class plant. which 1t is certainly to the in- terest of the people for them to do. The adverse argument being that the longer term will justify a much larger expenditure based upon future increase in business. l devoted more consider ation to this feature of the ordinanc than to any other. but after considering everything connected with the matter, have concluded to waive my objections to the longer term.
 | T would say that, in my opinion. and this assertion will bear the closest in- vestigation. that the franchise ordi- nance approved by me contains more limitations and protects the interests than any franchise that has been grant ed by the City Council of Montgom- cry for thirty years.
 "In any remarks made by me in this interview, in criticism of the sections as amended. I do not wish thought to be criticism of the Council. I believe every member of the Council was gov- erned by an honest conviction Of what he conceived to be to the best interests of the city. te ec -,.-.f d..
 "I would say that the deterioration of the quality of men composing the legislative bodies of our cities. where it has occurred. is more largely due to the tendency of the press. and the peo- pie to impugn the motivesOof Aldermen than to any other cause" 'e
 Protest of Citizens.
 The following petition against the or- dinance. which was circulated by Mir, L. l.. Mathews was presented to May or Joseph before he gave it his ap- proval: .''
 Hon. E. B. Joseph. Mayor, Etc: l Dear Sir-We. the undersigned. cit izens of Montgomery. Ala. respectful iy urge you 10 veto the ordinance re- gently passed by the City Council granting to the Montgomery Light and Power Company certain franchises and privileges for constructing and ope- rating gas works. etc.
 l Our objections thereto are based on the following grounds:
 | Fllst-We think it impolitie to grant these privileges so long a time before the expiration of the contract under which the Light and Power Company is now operating.
 | Second-Wo think 1t opposed to the public policy of the State and to the best interest of the city to grant any such privileges for longer term than twenty years. The code of Aiabama fixes that as the limit Of rehartsrs of general business corporations. ,t. | c. L. Mathews. G.. W. Ely, 4, J. Cammack, c. B. Parrish, w. E. Hay good. E. c. Andrew, T. H. Ligon, Glenn Andrews. J. H. Faunce, (. L. Betz. R. G. Banks. G. G. Lewis, B. | w. Strassburger, R. P. Grigg. J. S. Edson, A. NJ. Heron. Sigmund Zodsk, NJ. w. King. Gassenheimer Paper Co.,. L. N. Woodruff. Alexander Troy. Hob bic & Teague, Hausman Bros, H. M. :. Austin & Co.,. Gay. Hardie & Durr. C, A. Stern & Co.,, A. c. Stern. c. A. Stern. Steiner, Lobman Frank. Teasue & Sons, L. Winter. D. H. l carr. h' Q T lhSus N' Louis Loeb. Jules Gaiatas, T. H. Mer- ritt, w. J. Drum. X. H. McNeel, J. w. Smith, L. L.. Gilmer. w. B. Fuller, M. L. Wood. M. D.. J. N. Baker. M D., A. l.. Tyson, James E. Maddox. c. T. Pollard. M. D.. s. H. Carter J. P. Linehan. C. Ham. w. C. Pope, R. q. Madison, A. H. Thomas, R. w. Shaw, Duncan May, W. C. McDavld, F. B. Mastin, E. G. Shaw. Valentine Opp, Valentine Opp, Jr.. Henry Opp. wm. Opp. Jas. Opn. F. Geagley, O.. F.. Hastiey. W. I. Griffln. R. H. Yelverton, H. S. Yelverton & Con. T.W. Donaldson. W. W. Heron. A. M. Heron. H. c. Mohier. I. Cohn. W. H. Dyer, W. H. Tice. R. s. Williams, Thos. H. Watts W. A. Hyrderne. Hal. T. Walker. c. N. Holt, H. Simon. Antioch Abraham. W. A. Wilson. W. F. Dent. P. R. Whiting, 8. N We'll born g. s. Higgins, c. H. Beale. R. H. Powell. Winter Thorington, J. B. Thompson. D. B. Westcott, Michael Cody. Willard NJ. Sweatt. Thos. c. Jones. Chas. P. Jones. J. D. Bar ron. l.. R. Mckee. R. N. Pitts. C. J. | Campbell. Swan J. Burnett. J. E. TrimbIe. W. E. McGehee, C. E. Halls w. w. Leak, W, A. Gentry. I. Loeb. R. S. Grei, J. "a. Warren, T. F. Leak T. F. Leak. Jr., Geo. Stuart, J. N. Browder. John G .Crommelin (25 vears) V. M. Fillmore. J. W. Powell, |. M. Boyd. A. S. Sayre. ]. S. Ware. IT. H. McTyiere. J. w. Abraham, A.
 Iassenheimer. T. H. Gunter, O. l ry..dt Geo p Haardt & Bro c. W.