Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-12-13
The ERDMAN Law TROLLEY FRANCHISE
THE GRANT IS INDEFENSIBLF,
SAYS ABERDEEN WORLD.
The Evening Paper Exposes the Af.
tempted Defense of the Blanket
Franchise by r1OnteSanO Vidette.
A SCathing Arrangement of the
BeSfOwai of County Roads.

Speaking of the attempted defense
of the blanket road franchise, grant |
ed by the county commissioners, |
made by the Montesano Vidette. the
Aberdeen World says:
Declaring the recent grant of the |
interurban franchise to be for the
best interests of the country the
Montesano Nidette undertakes to de-
fend the two commissioners who |
sanctioned the grant from what it |
declares to be unfair and unjust
criticism The Vidette says that
opposition to the grant comes only
from the Grays Harbor Railway and
Light company, the Stone and Web
ster interest and those who may
consider themselves adversely affect |
ed by the proposed road That is |
not the case. The World, for eX-
ample, has opposed the franchise, not
as opposing interurbans, but as op-
posing the terms on which this grant
was made. We hold no brief for any
railway interests. They can take
! care of themselves and fight their
own fights; we are not concerned
with their success or failure. But
this franchise is worth money. 1t |
disposes of the peoples property
without any return to the people. |
No promoters and no established
railway interests, whether the Grays
Harbor Railway and Light company
or the Stone and Webster concern.
ought to be permitted 10 take public
property without the payment of a |
dollar or even assurance that the pur-
pose for which the grant is made
will be achieved. There is no return
| in this instance and no assurance |
On the contrary a franchise is grant |
ed for d period of fifty years that
gives the pOssessOrs of that franchise
control of the county road or roads |
| without even reasonable restrictions
or such restrictions as good business
| judgment would dictate. These pro- |
moters will hold their control over
the roads without need of investing
a single dollar. They have obtained
rights for nothing which they can
sell at a good, round sum in the
open market. And that appears to be
| just what they intend to do. They
have gained valuable rights without
undertaking the slightest risk, while
the commissioners have decided away
the peoples property for these men
to traffic in. Does the Vidette con-
slider that good policy? Does it hold
that opposition to proceeding of
that kind, when it is utterly need
less is unfair and unjust criti
csm?" And no one is compelled to
be allied with and rival railway in
terests to condemn an action of that
sort.
But The Vidette tells us that
there is plenty of capital behind Mr..
Wheeler, because he assures us that
| it is ample We suppose that is
final Good business men, however,
require some sort of a showing. We
are likewise informed that the names
of the promoters published in the
Harbor papers as associated with Mr..
Wheeler, are almost wholly incOr-
rect and several have been entirely
omitted in such publications. The
| list as published by The World was
the list furnished the county COM
missioners in executive session in his
law office by w. II. Abel, politician,
of Montesano. If they were incor-
rect, then charge that to Abel.
Judging, however, by The Videttes
comment, they were incorrect on
ly in that all of those interested in
the project were not named. There
is no correction, except that made by
those whose names were used by Abel
without authority.
anyway. says The Vidette, even
of there is no money behind the pro-
ject, 1T is comparatively recent his
tory that there was not much capt.
| tai behind the promoter OF the Abb
erdeen railway company That fails
to Justify the commissioners in CIV
ing away county roads at this time.
Day for that has gone by, and the
Aberdeen case affords no analogy
"The Vidette likewise naively in
forms us that the people of Monte
sano have felt under obligations to
redeem their promise to the attorneys
of the Harbor cities that every effort
would be exterted towards bringing
about means of quick connections be-
tween those points and the county
seat?' Does The Vidette want us
to believe that this interurban pro-
ject had its inception in any such
promise or any such desire, Does it
ask us to believe that this scheme
! originated with the municipality of
Montesano and that the town itself is
behind the project? Does it think
that the Harbor cities are inhabited
by children and fools?
From the Vidette we learn
further that the interests of the
county will be fully safeguarded in
the franchise and that is easily the
climax of a weak defense of an indie
fensible action defense that
! ranges all the way from the simplic-
ity of accepting one mans word that