Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-30
PENNYPACKER'S
MESSAGE OF 1905
Governor Discusses the Legal
Aspects of Various Phases of
States Activities
rENNyrAcRER ,rronIoGR,rny-No. es

t'opyri1Lt. T9tS. Jy Public Lcd0cr ComBd5yl
TIIERE are many incongruities in our
laws with regard to corporations, due
largely to the fact that the LEGISLATION
has been often enacted with reference
to particular subjects without sufficient.
~ considering it's relation to the general
system, and they ought to be corrected.
Probably the best method would he to
provide for "A commission OF expert law
yers, to be appointed by the Governor,
who could 20 over the whole subject
carefully and report a code or what
changes may he necessary. All corpora
tions, before they can be chartered, are
required to give notice 10y advertisement
of their application. except railroad and
street railway companies. II would seem
to I've specially important that these com
panies should give such notice. The act
of 1889 as amended hy the act Of 1901,
requires that the charters of street rall-
way companies shall name the streets
and highways upon which the railways
are To be laid. But II further proNlueS
that the companies shall have authority
to construct such extensions as they
may deem necessary to increase Their
business. and this is accomplished 10y
Ming without public notice copy ol
the minutes I'M the office of the secretary
Of the Commonwealth 1t has become
custom, more or less prevalent, to Sc.
cure charters upon obscure streets ana
reach the main avenues by means of this
privilege of extension, which Is entirety
within the control of the companies ana
is subject to no supervision II a ralI-
road be incorporated twenty miles in
length it must under the act OF April j,
1868, have IA capital stock of $4,000 per
mile. If II bc incorporated with length
of five miles and then be extended to
twenty miles. under the act or May u,
1881. it is only required to have caPltdI
stock of $4,000 per mile. The principle
t4n 1,n ,.f
corporations is supported is That there
are business operations important To the
community which are he. und IN" hnitn-
"ial strength of the individual ana thaj
by the union Of the res, urces OF many
persons may I've accomplished ana thus
the public be benefited. Ns "umpenSa-
tun for the benefits 50 conferred. la
hilitN * transferred from the irdiNluuhl
to the artificial person created hE IN"
law. We have been gradually losing sight
of the public good involved in the ar
rangement and reducing the number OF
corporators until now any three persons
may secure incorporation for profit. In
other words. a man wishing to start any
business venture 10y giving a share of
stock to his clerk and another to his
messenger may escape individual liahN-
ity for the Indebtedness incurred. But
one step remains. ANA that is the reduC.
tiO ad abSurdum of making SnEI"
person II corporation for profit Most o1
such corporations now secure under our
laws grants in pcrpCtUilN, There ought
to be Il reasonable time limit IN every
charter. say ono hundred years, at the
expiration of which the grant terminates
So that some control may he maintained
and the future not u.dened with ConSc-
OuonCes which cannot lie forCSeen. The
mountains shall sink into the sea. in
time the sun shall dsa ap1Car from the
heavens, and no charter should purpOrt
to endure forever. The question Of re.
Quiring railroads, railways and pipe lines
to file with, their applications maps of
the propuSed routes may hC considered,
and the rights of telephone, electric light
and natural gas companies in furnishing
their facilities raising difficult problems
ought to he defined