The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-18


Should not be sold 10 the highest bid.
der, or granted 70 those who VIII give
the greatest return to the people: No
such franchises should be assignable
or transferable; this would stop the
sale Of these properties No such fran!
chise should be granted to, any person
or corporation unless they could pro.
agce evidence that they were possess.
ed Of or could command the capital
necessary TO carry out the purposes
Of the franchise. In the grant Of every
such franchise there should be proyi.
lsions, MAILING 1t clear that the author:
ity granting the same should have the
right of regulation. and the right nj
any time on reasonable notice. to pur.
chase the properly OF the owner OF
the franchise by paying fair price
for the physical property. say the
! physical property, because under no
circumstances ought the county or
city be required to pay foney for Its
own franchise. unless it has received
money definitely for II. and then on.
1y pay back Just part Of such money
based on the time the franchise has
been in use compared with the time
when its use Will expire; and I. would
even go further and require that the
granting Of no such franchise be con.
summated until approved by a vote OF
the people of the territory TO whose
Authority application has been made
therefor. Other restrictions and safe.
guards Will suggest themselves to any
one considering this subject, which 1
forbear to name or discuss for, want Of
space. am well acquainted with the
arguments that win be used against
the Legislation here recommended;
which arguments are that this Is a
new State, and we want capital to
come in, and we ought to encourage
| 1t, and Ought to be liberal. We have
already been too liberal in this regard,
and in other regards, under the force
of these specious and fallacious argu.
ments. OF course we want to be Just
and fair to capital, but 1t is high time
that we safeguard our rights SO that
capital will be fair to the people. His
property will do the owner little good
tf he gives 1t all away for some fan.
cied privilege or benefit which does
not materialize.
Local Governments.
This subject l discuss on pages g,
and 5, but in The makeup Of the
type the printers made a mistake.
which was detected too late for cor.
ERECTION. The following should be read
as q part OF the discussion of Local
Governments, and begins where the
discussion is cut off on page 8:
This plan would accomplish several
good objects, one of which would be
publicity; the taxpayers could take
care to, prevent and could take such
steps as they thought necessary to pre-.
vent any extravagant or unnecessary
appropriation of their money. 1t
would promote economy, and the APP
plication OF business methods to pub.
llic business, by requiring examination
Of details and definite statements.
Further, ] recommend that each levy
ing body be allowed to have contin.
gent fund; not to exceed certain
per centage of the total amount levied,
which contingent fund could be used
to help out in case Of a deficit in any
of the appropriations. Require this
listiof appropriations, after being final.
ly approved. and levy laid to pay the
same, to be- certified to the sheriff,
and require him to keep an account
with each appropriation Just as If It
were separate fund, Just as he Is
required to keep separate account
with each board Of education OF its
building fund and teachers fund. This
would prohibit prevalent favoritism
and injustice among creditors Of a
county holding It's county orders. AS
1t is now, many counties have floating
Indebtedness in the shape of county
orders, some of which orders are sew
eral years old. a creditor having a
flesh account against such county
presents 1t for allowance; It is allow
ed, and an order on the sheriff issued
for It's payment; the payee presents 1t
to the sheriff. who says he has no
money to pay it, as he used the mon
sy appropriated to pay this particular
orderto pay probably through favor.
itisn,) an order, maybe, issued ten,
years before.
There is an enormous waste of pub.
lie money, resulting from want Of
business methods and of supervision
of the public business by the several
fiscal bodies, county courts, boards Of
education, municipal corporations, and
the like. One of the most Important
things you can do for the economical
benefit of the people at this session
Ia to devise a system az snparvision