The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-16
CITIZENS INSIST
ON QUICK APPEAL
Continued From First Page

w Atft acceptance VI thS
terms OF the company which were
adopted
1 say. let there be no settlement OF
this case until adequate return In made
10 the people for the valuable fran
chises granted by them. Let there be
no settlement out OF court TINT does
not provide for the gross earnings tax
and ownership of the streets. II these
points are not covered In the compro-
mise I heartily urge the city officials to
carry the matter through the highest
court having jurisdiction.
r. b. Doran, former mayor or 81.
Paul-it liz lauehable to contemplate
the concessions which were supposed
10 nave been made by the street rail-
way company compromise resolution.
There Is not one thing which the street
railway company agreed TO that IL has
not been beseeching the city council
for permission 90 do for many years.
Loud mention is made OF the Selby av-
enue tunnel by pariisans OF the meas
ure- Why. years ago. when / was a
member or the council, the company
did its best to secure permission to
construct that tunnel. They agreed at
that time to pay all damages which
might accrue to adjacent property
owners in condemnation proceedings
and TO build the tunnel IL only the
council would give them the right TO
do so. Owing TO the strenuous objec-
lions of residents along Summit ave-
nue. the council refused to grant the
company permission. Now they come
forward and try to make people be-
lieve that the Selby avenue tunnel is
great concession. My great objection
TO the agreement is that clause which
gives the company the exclusive fran
chise to the streets of st. Paul. 1t Is
not stated that way in so many words,
but IL is stipulated that the moment
any other company is given chance
to build street car line the agree
ment is nullified and the company is
given a license TO go upon any street
where IL will. The city should have
appealed from the decision of Judge
Lochren and settled the disputed
points. AS far as / can understand
from the contract the company will
have the right at the end of six months
TO use their so-called rowing license,
which il is presumed they gave up.
The decision of the federal court will
then be the law in the case and II en-
phatically asserts that the street rail-
way company can build upon any street
II pleases. The unseemly haste ex-
hibited by the council and the corpora
ton attorney in rushing through the
resolution before the people had
chance to express their opinion is
While nothing of an untoward nature
might be responsible for its passage ii
is always believed by the public that
such quick action is capable of sinister
Interpretation.
John Kelly, real estate dealer, 420
Pioneer Press building-The stand of
The Globe with reference to the
street railway compromise is perfectly
right. L h e Clio b e takes position as
defender of st. Paul, and should be
Loyalty supported by all the people OF
st. Paul. 1t looks to me as IL the city
had surrendered valuable rights under
the compromise for which no adequate
return is even promised. Under all the
circumstances believe that the present
status of the case should be disturbed
and the appeal perfected to the highest
court to see whether the city or the
company owns the streets and is able
to dictate its own basis of taxation.
From where sit 1t looks as il the
city had bought large gold brick-one
that is not particularly well gilded,
either.
BY all means favor the overthrow
of the alleged compromise and the
completion of the appeal from Judge
Lochren's decision.
n. L. Mills, justice of the peace-In
my opinion the city was considerably
worsted by the recent compromise eff
fected with the street railway COM
pany. 1t does not seem necessary
from a citizens viewpoint for the city
to give up everything to rich corpora
ton. / believe that it is possible to
break the present compromise, and that
is what should be done.
James l. johnson, justice of the
peace-The city did not get fair deal
at the hands of the council when the
recent compromise was agreed upon.
he tr1fn If . h. al ~ Qrf n rnlU
could have been better taken care OF
than they Were.
J. l.. Whitaker, of the firm OF ]. B.
Hoxsie & Co., wholesale fruits, 1924
East Third street, do not think the
compromise is a good thing for the
city. 1t is no more than right that the
street railway company should pay
gross earnings tax and 1t should be
required to. Any corporation should
be under the jurisdiction of the city
government and not allowed to dictate
to the city. The street car company
should not have been granted any
privileges that will shut out competi-
ton.
o. Nelson, of the firm of Tubbesing
Bros, commission merchants, 100 East
Third street.-The street car company
should be made to pay a gross earn
ings tax. The compromise agreed
upon recently in my opinion gives the
city much the worst OF the argument
and IL is not what the citizens had a
right to expect. The interests of the
city should have been better protected
and ] see no reason why they are not.
A. 7. Hall, druggist, st. Peter and
Fifth streets-The city should not
agree to a compromise of any kind. /
do not approve of the action of the
council in letting the street car COM
pany get away without the payment
of a gross earnings tax. The city
should demand the payment of the tax
by all means. The development of
the company's own property is a minor
matter and should be left to their dis
erection as to whether 1t would be good
business or not to do so.
Frank L. CaIIan, Callan Printing
company, Bradley building-The city
should unqualifiedly demand the pay
ment of the gross earnings tax. Since
the council has passed the compromise
resolution under q misrepresentation of
the true facts in the case, ii is only fair
to ask that since the truth has become
known that the same body should re-
scind the agreement. There should be
no compromise. The city should de-
mand the full payment of gross earn
ings tax. While the improvement of
the company's own property by which
II Is the permanent gamer and not
the city, may be of some value at
present, the tax is of far greater i'm
portance.- The street railway company
Is a business concern and as soon as
there is a demand for a new line ac-
companied with guaranty of patron