The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-03-14
An Electric Light Franchise Wanted.

At "a recent meeting of the town
council, application was made by the
local electric light management for q
ten year franchise, with the privilege
of increasing the rate now charged.
and stipulating that where meter Is
used there shall be 60 less charge than
one dollar. The proposition may suit
the owner of the electric light plant,
but we doubt very much II the patrons
of the plant, and the taxpayers OF the
town would be willing TO have council
10 tie them hard and foot and leave
them to be forced TO accept any rate
which NAV be eNacted of them. If
council were TO grant the franchise
asked for. it would simply mean the
exclusion of any competition which
might come, it would even prevent
several families clubbing in to put in .
private plant. if the wires would have
to cross the public streets-an excu-
sive franchise should never be award
ed. unless the same is bound up by con-
tract with bond stiputating a rate as
low as other towns Of similar situation
and size. also. the contract should stip-
ulate strong protection for the patrons,
as for example: suppose franchise as
applied for was granted. and then after
the management increased the rate,
quite number were to cut out the
service on account OF this raise. unless
the contract held by bond, stipulates
that the service 10 the remaining pat
rons must continue. what protection
would the remaining patrons have
against being thrown into outer
darkness at any time the management
concluded to shut down because the in
creased rate, allowed by franchise, cut
out large part of the patronage:
We understand there are councllmen
who think favorably of the proposition
to grant the franchise, and if
the power was with them, Manning
would be very much handicapped with
an institution ibarricaded by law against
competition. regardless Of what the
future might develope. If such men
will make their position known now
before the election for councilmen, we
feel almost sure they would not ce
reelected, and they should not be If
the people of this town are not IN favor
of having themselves so bound.
There are many things the people
give little attention to: they Know that
transactions by the coancil are not al
ways according TO law. but where there
is no apparent damage done they are
not exactipg. For instance. the people
know that members OF council are not
allowed by law to contract with the
town. nor to vote appropriations for
work done, or material furnished by
them, or through their agency, but as
long as there is no suspicion OF graft
they are not complaining, and content
themselves with permitting counclimen
to make legitimate profits and commits
sionS without giving other taxpayers
an opportunity to bid. However, this may
be. when it comes to a matter of shut
ting out competition, it is obnoxious
to the spirit of a republican form OF
government-equak rights to all, ana
special privileges to none-that they
will not stand for 1t.
So far as we know, there is no dis
position to give competition, Or opposl.-
ton to the electric light plant, and
when the management recently raised
the tiat-rate from fifty to sixty cents 1t
was accepted, as there is not one VINO
expects or want this great convenience
to bearun without profit, but there IS
a limit to everything, even a camel's
back may be broken with one more
straw, so also can the concession spirit
be broken by unrestrained privileges.
1t is question in our mind, as to coun'
ellis authority to grant a sole franchise,
we believe when it comes to a matter
of such nature it will have to be sub
mitted to vote of the people. II this
is correct. then if the law is complied
with, and majority of our taxpayers
are willing to have an exclusive fran
chise granted, none can effectively
complain; as for us, we are unalterably
opposed to an exclusive franchise be-
ing granted, for anything for a period
of years, months. NJ even for day
We believe in keeping every business
subjected to competition.