The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-09-03
VOTE ON THE FRANCHISE,
The People Have a Right to Decide

Ed. JOURNAL correspondent in the
Statesman over the signature of Tax
payer" seeks to work up public senti-
ment favorable to making present to q
private corporation Of one-third of the
public highway between here and Silver
ton. This corporation has Teen up be-
fore the county court once or twice before
and was Justly turned down. Not be-
cause Of MossbaCkism as insinuated by
Taxpayer, but because private corpo.
ration has no right TO ask gift Of this
character from the court. II the com.
pany back Of this proposed railroad
scheme have not sufficient capital to sc
cure a right ofway from property own
ers, it would be a risky proposition to
assist it to build a road that would GER
tainly eventually fall into the hands of
the courts aud be sold out later to the
highest bidder, who would without doubt
be the Southern Pacific Railway Com
pany.
Taxpayer is afraid we deserve "thee
reputation OF being slow" and points to
the net work of electric lines east as
evidence of the fact that people "back
there" are wide awake.
We may be slow, we may even be
'mossy, "but we are, the writer sincerely
>hopes, wide enough awake not to be
taken in by the shell game which this
purposed free franchi proposition 10.
Such schemes are always prepared by
people who desire to profit at the ex-
pense OF the public and who charge those
who oppose them with being mossbhcks I;
taxpayer, also charg"s the farmers along
the propoaed line with attempting to ex
tort exorbitant sums OF money from the
public spirited company that is seeking
10 benefit them. Gives this as reason
why free franchise should be- presented
the company by the county court. Also
says''our roads are sixty feet wide. forty
feet is wide enough" II that is
true the property owners along the
highways TO whom originally this 30
called extra twenty feet belonged should
ask the County Courts OF the state 10
return it TO them. They certainly have
better right 10 it than a private cor
poralion OF perhaps speculstors in pub
lie franchises. The writer of this article
would be glad TO see electric lines out OF
Salem in all directions owned and oper-
ated by the people II possible or by pri-
vate enterprise. but when it comes to
establishing a precedent such as the pre-.
sent demand for a free franchise il
should nos be permitted.
Forty feet may be wide enough for a
wagon road now, but as sure as any
thing can DO, in far less time than ten
years Automobile lines will be in opera
tion carrying both freight and passen.-
gers in all directions out Of every trade
center in the Willamette Valley, and
these vehicles with their great
broad rubber ties will be a ben
eft 10 our reads and will COM
pell the building OF scientific public
highways in which every Well-t1-
do farmer wall be interested because
the price Of these vehicles will put them
within reach OF all. A Eve horse power
machine for passengers and light freight
can now be had for live hundred dollars.
Taxpayer would have us be ieye the
electric lines in the east are built upon
the public highway,at least one il left to
infer a. much from his letter But this
is not the case. The " tier has heen
over a large part o, the eastern states
and knows electric lines are not per-
mitted on the wagon roads where 4 can
be avoided. In conclusion would like TO
suggest that before the County Court
grants this franchise that the people Of
the county be given a chance 10 vote on
it at the next election. In a short way. II
the Company obtains its rilht OF way
NJ blame can be attached 10 the County
Court and the establishment Of a bad
precedent will be avoided.
TAxEArRR.