The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-07-24
BellefOntdine Authorities
Have Franchises to
Burn.
Other Cities Profit by the Ex
erCiSe of Common Pru-
denCe.

Il
cities are reaping important advan-
ltages from them. 1t is true. Fran
chises that would some day be very
valuable to our city are given away
for the asking. All corporation, or
embryo company, has to do is to ask
a franchise from our city and it is
given. This does not apply to the
present Council alone, but to Coun-
ellis that have passed.
There may be nothing dishonest in
this. but it looks suspicious when
such things are done at called meet
ings, when the people have had no
warning or knowledge of it.
| Afranchise was recently granted
to telephone company to put up it's
lines and operate it's plant in our
city, and the thing was put through
the Council, and a perpetual fran
chise given without any considera-
tion, and without the people having
any knowledge of it. A special meet
ing was called for another purpose.
This meeting adjourned after dispos-
ing of its business, and another spe-
cial meeting was called without the
members leaving their seats, and this
perpetual franchise was given away.
Several other valuable franchises
have been given away in the past two
or three years.
All that seems to be necessar is
that some attorney or few influen-
tial citizens 60 before the Council.
and the Council does the rest, and the
city suffers for want of the exercise
of good horse sense by the authori-
ties.
There 10 some excuse for this, but
no reason. There has been some
gain, but not enough protection of the
city's interests. We have all been
anxious for the citY's welfare, and
have been desirous of progressing
along new lines so as to promote the
growth of our city, and have been
afraid we would be left to one aide or
behind, and 30 have proven an easy
mark for promoters, attorneys,
agents and capitalists.
1t was feared that If we did not
lump at the chance that We would be
left to one side, and would wither
Iaway like Cherokee, or perish miser.
ably like Noodletoozy. Thus we con.
suited our fears instead of looking
into the face of facts and the twen-
tieth century, and have given away
valuable franchises without even get
lting a chrome.
| 1t is time this was stopped. The
hogies should be thumped on the
head whenever one makes its appear
lance. Bellefontaine has passed the
station where she need to fear that
she will he left to one side. There i.
Iplenty of capital that will be glad tc
invest here, and there is no reason
for running after people to give then
what they will be glad to purchase
The time is coming when all these
franchises will be valuable, and there
should be some stipulation for the
future that would guarantee the city
| a fair share in profits that could bs
!. paid without wronging anybody,
Many cities are reaping the benefit
of a foresight that it would be good
J thing to inoculate our Council with
. Glasgow's franchises pay all the city.
expenses. What boon that would
be to our city in the way of relieving
the people from paying taxes, and in
ducing capital and factories to come
here.
But we have an illustration of hov
, such policy would work, neare
, home, by the results of its application
In the city of Newark, Ohio. TIL,
following from the Evening News o
, Newark teaches a lesson that ou
people and their City Councils shoul'
not be slow to learn nor tardy in ap
lplying. Blunders are often wors
than crimes, and we have blundere,
ong enough. The News says:
'It is thirteen years since the cit
of Newark, by agreement with tn
: street car companies, imposed on tn
+ latter a franchise tax of five per cen
$ of their gross receipts, and in retur
gave the corporations the privileg
T of using electricity as motive power
And with the recurrence of the pay
ment of that tax into the city trea;
ury, the wisdom and foresight of tn
official responsible for the adoptlo
{ lof the plan becomes more appai
v ent. The check given by the Publ
u Service corporation yesterday t
D Auditor Forman was for more tina
: so, 900. In 1891, the year when tn
, tax was first imposed, the amoun
was less than $1,000. In the thirtee
: years, the city has profited from TIL
source to the extent of s7lT. $3.50
and the receipts will grow larger an
: larger as the municipality and til
" surrounding territory increase
population. There is no city in tn
q country that has made a better ba
gain with the trolley companies tina
w Newark did in this instance, and
r is passing strange, with the examp
n. set here, that there are not mar
more cities reaping the benefit of Il
forethought exhibited in 1891. Viii
is TRACTION affairs here cannot be callt
m perfectly satisfactory by any mean
still Newark is viewed with envy
the officials of every city in Il
IT, State where trolley lines are ope
ated.p