The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-08-09
ADVERTISEMENT
SHALL THE PEOPLE OF DAWSON GIVE
WITHOUT PRICE A VALUABLE FRANCHISE?

be possible that the thinking citizens
of Dawson are going to exhibit no
interest in a matter so important to
every citizen and especially to every
bona fide tax payer as is the ques-
ton of voting to a foreign corpora
ton a fifty years franchise, which
our city council has seen fit by its
majority to offer to the Southern
Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co.?
Is it possible that our tax payers
have been sitting stupidity and not
making any effort to examine just
what is being asked of us? Feeling
that this most important matter is
being allowed to lag and draw along
with surprising Indifference / have
determined to try to set our people
to thinking what is about to happen.
Have the people of Dawson forgotten
in the short space of less than four
years what was promised to the town
if only the privilege was extended
to the present telephone company OF
becoming owners of a telephone sys-
TEN in our midst? Were we not
contracted with to not only have free
telephones furnished for the use of
our municipal departments and the
free use of one cross arm attachment
to the poles of the company and one
duct in each underground conduit
for the free use of the fire depart
ment of the city, but were not the
citizens of the town given the bona
fide contract for the furnishing OF
phone service of the very best char
acter without qualifications as to the
number of telephones or as to the
length of time at certain rates?
Were not all these things incorporat-
ed into the franchise granted unto
the referred to company? Does any
one doubt but that for this agreement
the said company would never have
been granted a franchise at the time
and under the circumstances, and
would not now be the owners OF the
Dawson system? This article is not
intended as a fight on the telephone
system. in spite of it's failure to live
I'D to it's contract, but its object is
to call attention to what is being
asked of the people of Dawson In be-
half of foreign corporation. We
are being asked to cast a vote to
grant to the said foreign corporation
a franchise for period of fifty years,
a cycle of almost two generations.
They ask you to do this for the in
significant consideration that the city
be allowed the mere use of one at
tachment TO each pole of the said
Southern Bell Telephone Company.
Have you stopped to consider what
these people are to get for this i'm
significant consideration? At the
end of fifty years none of us, and
perchance none of our children, will
be citizens OF Dawson. A half centu-
~ is a long time to vote away our
rights, even to folks at home" who
would have much interest in all that
goes 20 the upbuilding of the town.
ANY foreign corporation coming
among us under such circumstances
has no interest in us except to get
ont of the town all the money posi-
BILE. Not dollar will remain among
us except the limited amount needed
to pay few local employees beyond
the amount needed occasionally for
repairs or rebuilding. On the other
hand, many thousands Of dollars will
be taken away during each decade to
add to the Golfers of foreign parties
in other towns, in which We have
little interest and who have less in
terest in us. Remember Jacob OF
old, and vote not away your birth
rights for a mess of pottage.' Do
not allow yourselves to be blinded
by the promises of free use of GER
tain telephones, or by the idea that
the town will get special taxes.
These things are surrounded by va
rious uncertainties. Do not listen
to the statement that some special
contract has been given to the city
council, for no contract is binding
on the city of Dawson which Is not
incorporated in any franchise for
which you are asked to cast your
vote, nor can any council delegate to
a future council an addendum to
contract or franchise. Remember
that by your vote you are affecting
your posterity, that Dawson and it's
every interest is growing and be-
coming more important to every bus
mess enterprise in the town as the
years go by. That therefore a prop
erty so important as is a telephone
franchise should be surrounded by
such restrictions as will not only
limit its tenure to a reasonable time,
but will bring to the town additional
revenue as the interest of the COM
pany owning such franchise increas-
es. We ask every citizen of Dawson
to stop and ponder well what a vote
for the franchise tax Wednesday will
mean. Be sure to cast you vote next
Wednesday, August 14th. Respect
fully, TAX PAYER.
A. S. Jones of the Lee Pharmacy,
Chico, Cal, who has handled Foley
& Co.'S medicines for many years,
says: 81 consider that Foley's Hon
ey and Tar Compound has no equal,