The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-03
DEFINING PRINCIPLES.

The new street railway statute of Illinois, known
the Mueller act is probably the fairest and the
comprehensive law of the kind in existence. AS
an enabling act 1t offers almost unlimited possibilities
to the municipalities Of that State both in the direc-
ton of municipal ownership and in that of municipal
control
Primarily defining principles in order to establish
municipal supremacy, it has the greater virtue of
prescribing methods of exceptional practical value.
When put into actual it will produce beneficial
results and will open opportunities which, perhaps
will surpass the expectation of its most ardent
supporters
Not only Chicago, but the smaller cities Of the
State, like Peoria and Quincy, will ultimately find the
law advantageous municipal and public interests.
Under this law the municipal ownership of street
railways may become reality in Chicago. The city
may itself operate the lines; or, if the voters
should prefer the city may own, but not operate,
intrustng the management by lease to private cor
porations, yet retaining municipal supervision.
In the smaller cities like Quincy, where the long
term franchise is practically a monopoly, the COM
munity need not in future court private investment
by rendering generous inducements, but may exer-
else its statutory power and construct the road itself
The franchises in most Of the smaller cities still have
long lives. But the law is nevertheless deathblow
to blanket and long-term franchises. The smaller
cities have found it necessary, in order to obtain
transportation facilities only to give large privi
leges but exclude competition during the life of
franchise. The Mueller act is competent to prevent
such impostons.
Invariably the intention in granting franchises Is
that the public shall acquire benefits or accommoda-
lions which 1t does not possess Otherwise franchises
would not be granted. The service is Of cardinal i'm
porance while the compensation for privileges which
many persons deem paramount Is secondary.
Whether the public can be better served by mu-
nicipal ownership and operation, by municipal
ownership reposing the management by lease in a
private corporation and retaining general supervision
over the service, or by granting shorterm franchises
and retaining general supervision, is problem which
| either experience conservative judgment must
| solve. Each system is warmly Endorsed, but 1t is
likely that the second municipal ownership and prl
vate operation by lease under municipal supervision,
will prove to be the most practicable for the average
city.
The real worth Of the statute is well disclosed
in the comprehensive provisions which admit of safe
tests Of any Of these modern plans In regard the
lease of municipal road, the maximum term is
specified at twenty years If however the conditions
unsatisfactory, 10 per of the may
woke referendum within sixty days after the pas
sage of the ordinance provided the lease does not
exceed five years. city cannot operate municipal
road without referendum, at which three-ffths of
the voters signify approval. city may issue street
railway certificates" municipal bonds for acquiring
or building road
In large cities-and in the smaller cities also, for
that matter-the interests of the people demand a
universal transfer system, which is most easily
tainable through municipal ownership of the various
lines the unication of all divisions operated The
saving assured to patrons by the transfer system is
nestimable 1t is large that the municipal corpora
ton could we'll afford, If necessary, to relinquish
percentage of the franchise in favor of
! fers.
| The Mueller act contemplates this benefit by pro-
viding for municipal ownership and operation in the
one case, and for municipal ownership and private
lease in the other Another feature Of the bill worthy
of note is that concerning the referendum These pro-
visions do not go to the absurd extreme Of arbitrarily
requiring that fveyear lease shall be approved
by the voters before becoming effective The sensible
referendum in regard to franchises is that which may
be called the appeal referendum" the referendum