Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-02-12
The Street Railroad Franchise.
Marietta. ohIo. Feb. 11th. lgo1

at lllt lOI OllCiC 90 a. fNhhNhe OtA 49,
question of the Street Railroad Fran
chise." Permit me to make few quo
tations "Shall the City build 100000
Bridges for Street Car Companies ana
present them on silver platter?'-
Editorial page, Register, last week.
Just as though such a thing had been
done or was proposed! Does the
Street Railroad Company ask the city
to build bridge? No. Did it ever
make such request? No. Did 1t ever
then pray tell how it is pertinent or an
exhibition of common sense to ask
such questions? The same paper in
the same column says THE West Side
Car service, as soon as possible, as they
are entitled to it," Thanks much for
this honesty and fairness. 1t may be
true that the West Side people do not
pay as much for public expenses as the
other side of the river. but they do
pay at the same rate on what they have
IutJ are uOb uANCl ohy
special obligation to the Register for
its frank admission on this point, for
it says further, on that page ut is
quite natural for the West Side people
to ,be more liberal in their views on
the subject. But they are called on
to pay but one-fifth Of the city's cost of
the Bridge, while the East Side pays
four-fifth." Now what do sensible
people think of this as an argument to
influence gentlemen, who have brains
enough to be Councilmen? The argu-
ment extended is, that If man ds poor,
he should wade the river. or go down
and cross the old Bridge; If better off
and has a horse and must cross Tie
new Bridge, and lives west of the
River, he may dismount. walk and lead
his horse over; but if he is four-fifths
man. or large taxpayer from the East
Side, and owns a rubber-tirei vehicle,
he can cross the new Bridge at 2:49
gait and keep his seat. The same doc
trine would permit individuals and cor
porations from the East Side. without
let or hindrance, fee or reward, to haul
the haviest load, with the largest teams
over the Bridge, if beneficial to the
large contributors to expense of the
Bridge but would deny favor bene-
fetal to the small taxpayers on the
West Side. The Register seems to
think that the heavy taxpayers have
no interest in getting over the River
nor in having any one invade Their
aristocratic precincts. Now II we have
been so unsoDhisticated as to suppose
that it would be of mutual advanta"'
to have the rural districts and business
center closely connected.
Please allow me to quote once more
from the same column: "The City mus
not be made to suffer for the conven
ience of the individual" What men
tai strain it must have been to evolve
any idea of such novelty and depth
| Surely, no one will be surprised at c
collapse on South Front street from
softening of the brain! But will there
be surprise if it is demonstrated tina
the brain of the writer of that para
graph is already soft?
What is City? What are its OBJ
jects and purposes? In our sim
plicity we had thought the organiza
ton of City was the act of individ
uals and that the interest. convenience
comfort and happiness of individuals
were considerations of the first ant
highest Importance to the City Fathers
and that all of their energies are at al
times bent in that direction. regard
less of the habitation of the individual
with reference to the River.
The situation in reference to tn
franchise can be stated in few words
individuals interested in the Electri
| Company stated long ago that the!
would cross the River whenever prope
facilities were offered. Everyon
knows that the Company could not af
ford to build a Bridge. When tn
Electric Company was first organized
a universal shout of approval went III
from all the people except the Registe
and its hackers in the present unseen
ly contest. The old Bridge was con
demned; the Register wanted
patched up. A new Bridge was built
no one pretends that the Electric Com
pany asked for it or dictated the plan
A convenient addition was put on, tie
and stringers were laid by the Git!
ready for the rail; the Company LAW
long lines of rail from the West end o
the Bridge and commenced layin:
track toward the East End when /
was interrupted. "It is all right TO
the West Side to have a Street Rail
road, but they don't pay much taxes
and if they want to come to the Pos