Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-10-05
COUNCIL HEARS
LEAGUE REPORT
Continued From First Page)

an address, wefcommg the members Of
the league TO the city. during which
he expressed qualification upon being
member Of the league and spoke Of
the good that could be accomplished
by attending the convention. He also
spoke of the good that had been ac-
complished since he had been mayor
Of the city. President r. G. Rhett re-
sponded upon behalf of the league
setting forth the many advantages Of
these annual meetings Of the officials
Of the cities Of the country.
Lawson Purdy read a very able and
interesting paper on the Influences Of
Taxes on the Prosperity OF Cities" 1t
was debated by Judge Lesser OF the
Appeal Court.
Charles j. Whalen read a paper on
THE influence Of Sanitation on Mortal
ity." which was a very instructive
article.
The matter Of health. discussed by
Or. Konthey Of New Orleans. told OF
the wonderful Improvement IN santa
ton in his city and complimented the
cities that have passed pure milk
ordinance, as the reduction In the
death rate Of infants under one year
Of age has been remarkable in his city
The death rate there had been reduced
from 100 to LOO per year after the
passage OF the ordinance. DR.. Son-
theys work during the yellow fever
epidemic contributed materially toward
its suppression.
Dr. Edwards Of Chicago, showed by
his argument and statistics that the
|
a greater degree of perfection by the
application of strict sanitary measures
in recent years than that of any other
city in the country, and that It is now
the healthiest.
The discussion .on municipal owner
ship. with Prof Parsons Of Boston in
the affirmative and Prof. Roberts OF
Denver University, in the negative
proved one Of the most interesting dis
cussions Of the convention both pro-
fessors having made a personal in
vestigatioE Of the problem in both
( Europe and America. When It was
ended it still left the listeners In a
very unsettled state of mind, as to the
value Of the investigation from an
economic standpoint. The investlga-
ton Of the professors was conducted
IN an entirely different manner Prof
Parsons went as the head of a COM
mittee whose Investigations were made
by personal reference to the books Of
the various companies, as to their
profits, their receipts and expendi-
lures, making due allowance for depre-
ciation while Prof. Roberts investi-
cation was made on the same lines.
with the addition that he engaged him
self IN the services OF the various COM
lpanies, worked with the employees as
a day laborer, slept in the lodging
houses, purchased and cooked his own
| food. This means of living, he claim
ed, was the only way he could arrive
at the true condition OF the men under
municipal ownership. While he ad
Emitted that under municipal ownership
the wages We're higher and the hours
shorter, the service Of light and trans
portation companies was far better
under private ownership. He also
snade the claim that the profits Of the
company under municipal ownership
were greater which fact, he claimed
was due to insufficient allowance for
eciation-something that municipal
managers had lost sight OF.
2 Public franchises declared corrupt
spirited comment on the customs and
methods OF securing franchises from
local government by private corpora
tions. and appeals for more attention
to and larger appropriations for sani-
I tation marked the second day session
of the league.
Former President James NJ. Head, IN
! discussing the paper read by Harry p.
! Nichols, chief Of the New York Fran
chise Bureau said IF you go back 10
the beginning of vested rights you
usually find that they were vested
wrongs Most people believe that the
advisability Of granting or refusing a
! franchise to public service corporations
is fought out in the open before the
/ tribunal which has the franchise rent
\ ing power. AS a matter Of fact, the
passage of franchises is usually fought,
bribed or sold before the franchise it,
| self ever comes out upon the plain
| field of action. The man who talks in
! earnest of restoring these rights 70 the
people is called an anarchist, a dema-
gogue and a political schemer But
! the same anarchists. demagogues and
political schemers have procured the
reduction of gas rates in New York
city. universal transfers and reduction
Of water rates for the people. The
perpetual franchise is a crime. Let
us never grant one, and may the future
| generation never feel toward US as
every man here must feel in his in
most heart toward those who have
gone before"
Mr.. Nichols. in his paper told the
convention of the exact situation with
respect to the franchises under which
public service corporations operate in
New York city, and then said; THE
people and corporations are partners in
business. and It is therefore necessary
that perfect harmony exist between all.
There must be no greedy efforts on the
part of the corporation TO get from the
people that which will produce excess
sive profits upon capital actually in
vested; and on the other hand there
should be no desire on the part OF the
people or their official representatives,
to make unreasonable demands upon
the corporations. The fixing Of proper
compensation is a difficult task, and
in my opinion. 1t should be fixed In
two ways; first. by the payment Of an
] initial sum upon obtaining a franchise
second. by the payment of an annual
sum based preferably upon a percent
age of the gross receipts, with fixed
nnininnun1s nv this method the DrOs-