The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-24
TIME FOR ACTION.

TIME FOR ACTION.
n VIEW OF THE FACT that the
Utah Light & Railway company in
,nds to push it's demand for an ex-
ension OF its franchise, II would seem
order for the Commercial club to call
! public meeting of its members for the
urpose OF discussing the matter and
|etting an expression OF public opinion.
. he fact that the president and secre-
*ary of the club are both in Los An
1eles may have prevented such a meet
& be heretofore. but there is nothing 10
revent a call under the rules, and the
J ub owes it to the community at large
b see that Il is done.
This duty is the more imperative
nee the club is practically the only
srganized center where the business
pen Of the city can act together, and
.nis is an emergency of such grave i'm
ortance as to demand immediate at
ntion at the hands of the business in
srests Of salt Lake.
Ia the discussion so far, the company
as assumed that it has some sort OF
ested right to anything it sees fit to
'emand of the city council. Surprising
S il may seem. the spokesman OF the
|orpOration are aggrieved that anybody
Ihould question their right to expect a
.fty-year extension of a franchise
hich has more than a generation yet
run; but when reasons are asked
by the extension should be granted
one is forthcoming except that the
IOmpany wishes to issue more bonds
pr improvements and repairs, and
.hould, therefore, be given the fran
mise.
Assuming that $1,000 900 in bonds arc
be issued, the city is asked to give
he company these two millions as n
resent and get in return water rights
nd lands OF an alleged value of $780,
lO. but worth very much less in cash.
70 offer is made to lower charges fox
|crvice, though the rates are excessive.
ma Mr. Newhouse offers to give .
igh-class service at one-third less. No
uggestiOn is made that the city will
roiit~ ia--any way by mortgaging the
Earnings of its inhabitants for eighty
ears. and no promise is made. even.
{ any Improvement in the service con
itions which have been so aggravating
= the people.
The franchise which the company
ow holds has been violated innumer-
BILE times by failure of the company
10 perform its part OF the contract. yet
l,e, -1- -.
borne with the service and tolerated
he intoierable because it was known
ne corporation was loaded down with
'watered" obligations and could do lit
lie better under the conditions.
Individuals in their homes and places
pf business have burned two lights
where one should have been sufficient,
md paid the bills thus doubled, without
tttempt to secure justice.
Residents on some OF the streets have
bad to accept a street car service that
vOuid disgrace a country town with 2
system. and have taken il
is a matter Of course, because the city
authorities seemed powerless to remedy
he evils.
{
had a variable service at high rates
much higher than was justifed-yet
hey have put up with it rather than
90 into the lighting business for them
selves.
Instead of applying to the courts for
1 receiver on the ground that the COM
oany had forfeited its franchise rights
he people Of salt Lake have carried
he burden Of an inadequate power
lighting and street car service with a
patience that few enlightened commu-
mites in this country would show, and
heir reward has been-what?
A proposal to perpetuate the mad
>ouate service, 20 saddle three gener-
atoms with a still heavier Indebtedness
IF watered bonds and stocks, and tc
TX rates of service for close to a hun
fred years at prices which Mr.. New
house offers to reduce today by one
-hird.
The whole proposition is so prepos-
.erous that it would be laughable il
here were not a serious danger thai
Il might be carried through. 1t is true
hat the councilman who would vote
FOR the proposed extension would have
to defy deliberately the almost unani-
nous sentiment Of his constituents
and IL is this very possibility of a vot,
IN the face of an outraged public sen
timent which makes the situation dan.
serous-
In view of all the facts, the CONNER
rIal club ought TO act: it cannot act too
quickly. and it ought TO invite all the
business men of the community TO TAX,
part III it's deliberations.