The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-25
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.

MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
Unless there is. opposition in tele-
graph, telephone or street car busi-
ness in any city, municipal ownership
is preferable to an exclusive monopoly
enjoyed by one company or corpora
tion. The only time a company is
willing to make any concessions is i'm
mediately prior to the granting of a
franchise. After they have secured
a monopoly in any one line Of busi-
ness they become arrogant. and II
complaint is made about the service
the answer invariably is, you don't
have to use it." For this reason great
care should be taken by common coun-
ellis and other deliberate body in
granting franchises. A franchise
should be in the nature of a contract
and should not be granted for any
long term of years. but should contain
a provision for a renewal, If the con-
ditions of the contract are lived up to
which is seldom done. II short fran
chises are granted with restrictions
which can be enforced. better service
is secured in order to get a renewal
Of the franchise.
There is no one but what is inter-
ested in securing the investment OF
outside capital, but great care should
be exercised in granting franchises, be-
cause after once granted, they are
gone forever. Granting a franchise
should be on the same principles as
buying land. A forfeit should be de-
posted in the hands Of the city or
county treasurer, wherever the fran
chise is to come from, conditioned that
if work was not commenced with a
given time and completed by a GER
tain date, the money should be for
feited to the city or county. This is
bushes and the affairs of the city
should be conducted on business prin-
cipals. There is not a company with
sufficient capital to engage in any
enterprise, who actually mean business
but will be willing to deposit a for
felt. When it refuses to do so, it is
of doubtful origin and such a fran
chise should never be granted,
The government of the United States
owns and operates its own postal sys-
tenn. For this reason the best service
is given and few If any complaints are
made. The city of Astoria owns and
operates its own water system, and
the money received from water rents
is used In extending and bettering the
service besides providing a sinking
fund to take up its bonds as they ma
ture. 1t would be far better If the
city owned its own lighting plant. Bet
ter service would be given, besides il
would be a paying investment. The
only way for a municipal corporation
to own its own utilities is by building
them in the first instance. After they
have passed into the hands of COR
poration they are gone forever and
the public is subject sometimes to un.
reasonable demands and rules, many Of
which, perhaps, are necessary for the
proper management of the business.
Astoria needs and will welcome the
investment of capital in any legitimate
enterprise, but it should he the "yel-
low stuff" not the power used in op-
Grating winjmills. Great care should
be exercised by the common council
in granting franchises and no fran.
chise for any purpose should be grant
ed to any promoter, company or COR
poration, without a deposit of at least
$4,000 as an evidence of good faith.
There have been so many sensations
sprung in Astoria lately-the last the
hotel project-that people will place
more confidence in the intention Of the
company applying for a franchise II
they back up that intention by suf-
ficient deposit to guarantee construc-
tion and completion. Had $4,000 been
deposited in one of the banks when
the hotel project was launched, as an
evidence of good faith, 1t would not
have taken week TO raise the entire
amount of 100000 and the hotel would
have been an assured fact. AS the
matter now stands everyone is Of the
opinion that it was an irideseent dream
whose chief prOpelling power was