The Jersey City news., 1906-01-09
GOVERNOR SENDS
HIS MESSAGE
Continued from first page.)


rate to the dollar, might be multiplied to
cover every community in the State.
They are based upon the assumption that
the increased revenue weuld be distribut-
ed, as now, for the benefit of our tax
payers and schools. A portion of it, how
ever, might be devoted to the develop
ment of our system of good roads.
Schools and good roads are vitality impor-
tant to the welfare of our common wealth
and both of them are necessarily depen-
dent for uniformity and effectiveness up
on State aid and State care.
we are not content TO stand STILL
Better instructors, with better salaries,
better school accommodations and better
educational equipment as well as the de-
velopment of industrial and agricultural
training, can all be promoted by an IN
creased revenue to the State. or CORE
spondingly retarded by decrease in the
States revenue
s0ur system of good roads by common
consent leads those of all the other
States of the Union. There is a contin-
uons demand for larger appropriations
for the improvement of the highways.
Good roads attract the tourist and resi-
dent to our State, make traffic and trans
portation easier, and enhance the value
of the property which they traverse. In
creased appropriations for this purpose
are dependent upon the States income.
THE merits of these two systems
taxing the main stem locally or by the
State-are purely questions of policy.
How far the power of municipal
tiles to grant franchises to public utility
corporations should be limited should be
determined solely by the interests of the
people Their interests will not be served
by destructive policy. No revenue can
be derived under laws so harsh that they
prevent the development of enterprises
from which the revenue must come. So
long as the investment, however, is pred
icated upon the use of public property,
the people have right to demand fair
rental. What is a fair rental to-day,
however, may not be fair rental twenty
years from now, after the adjacent pop
ulation has doubled. That matter should
be settled at the end Of limited periods
of years.
THE question of competition should
also be considered. Under too restricted
conditions, new andslike concerns cannot
compete with those holding perpetual
and unrestricted franchises. Nor should
it be forgotten that terms that might
warrant the investment of capital in
thickly populated centres would not tempt
it in uDdeveloped sections.
All these factors enter into the set
tlement of this important question The
commission appointed by the last Legis-
ature to investigate this subject will, /
am informed, recoulmen limitation of
the power of municipal officials to grant
franchises to public utilities. Capital is
not tempted to ask unrea sonable conces-
eions when it realizes that the power of
public officials is not discretionary. but
determined by statute. The passage of
law limiting the right Of the governing
board of municipalities to grant public
franchise for a longer period than twen-
ty-five years would not only protect the
rights of future generations, enable a re-
adjustment Of terms according to condi-
tions at the end of this period but would
eliminate the opportunity to grant con
cessions other than upon strictly business
conditions, That this limitation may
not restrict enterprises or arrest progress
in the rural districts, it might be pro-
vided that any ordinance granting a
franchise for losger period than TWEEN
ty-fye years should be submitted to a
vote of the people, with limitation as
TO a maximum term of years.
Provision should be made for public
jty in the granting of franchises, but
with regard to the proper advertising of
applications and the preventing of undue
haste in the passage of ordinances for
pucn purposes.
q hese principles are equally sound
for al psbGc utility franchises for what
ever purpose granted. -
'-FAs axns:cn of public utility fran
chises Is aaot.ler matter which was re-
fevred to cerznission at the last session
Of the Legislature Taeir report will
doubtless soon be presented. The real
and personal p'oper.s of public utility
corporations are, ike the property Of in
Aviduals, taxed BY the localities in which
the property is situate, at the local rate