The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-03-30
AS TO FRANCHISES.

/ franchise, III law, means SOl4e
right or privilege of local or ex-
elusive character.
! 1t is valuable asset to any cor
1 poration because of its protection,
and being valuable to the grantee 1t
( ought to be valuable to the grantor,
AS the interurban situation I'M
covers itself ION paper) 1t would
appear that two or more concerns
are figuring on Waxahachie as
point to be connected to Dallas by
Iinterurban rails. At least two OF
these promoting agencies profess to
| be equipped with the cash necessary
to carry their plans into execution,
and if they mean business the city
of Waxahachie should talk to them
through its city council in business
way
Either or both of these promoting
agencies will ask this city certain
| franchise rights, and doubtless both
will want these rights to be Just as
| near exclusive as the law will permit
/ But what do the franchise seekers
want to give in return? Judging the
| future by the past, and this is SAID
| without intended reflection on either
| the sincerity of the city councils or
| the honesty of the franchise seek
| ers, we, the citizens, will receive the
assurance that if these rights and
| privileges are granted that such and
such things will be done in stated
time, and at the end of that stated
| time we will be right where we were
when the dance began. Such result
would not harm the seeker of PRIV
! iieges but it might result disastrous
| " to the givers of these privileges IN
order to protect herself WaXahachie
must demand a square deal. 1t
should be borne in mind first that
the failure of past promises must OF
necessity have its weight in the con
sideration Of future promises, and
second. that the new seenrity given
Is 10 be considered fully as tar as L |
secures and only in the light of such |
security. Business is business wheth-
er it is conducted with perfect
OF the most conspicuous
local characters, and in either event
the welfare Of the people must be
safeguarded
In considering applications for
franchises il is the duty of the coun-
IL to first consider the responsible
Y of those who may be applying, {
econdly. to consider the result that I
be granting of such franchise may
ave on other prospective improve |
rents, and thirdly, whether the pur- 0
oses for which a franchise is sought q
i'll prove to the best interests of the c
eople in general.
With few exceptions the people OF
Faxahachie are in favor of an inter
rban line, just as they are in favor j
f a substantial Improvement Of our
itv street railway, but, should eX- !
lusive franchise be granted, even ii
I might be In the power of the coun-
ii to grant such q FRANCHISE w ny
not. When these franchise seekers
asks for privileges, demand that IA
cash bond of say 10000, or such |
sum as may in part represent the
gaIue Of the privileges to be granted,
be required as a deposit to evince
the good faith of the privilege seek
sfS ana 10 De forfeited 10 tnt CilS VI
eturned to the depositor IN the
went that the contract on which the
ranchise is granted fails or is car {
led out
This is a free country and We want
0 keep it free If builders want to
,ring interurbans to WaXahachle,
ct them do so; but if the promoters
seek valuable franchise rights for the
purpose OF trafficking, make them
pay for what they get,