Show STEWART DITCHE PHONE EF FRANCHISE Committee Will Recommend to Coun Council Council cil That Franchise Measure Be Filed Piled Councilman J J Stewart of ot the Fourth ward last evening succeeded in having the council municipal laws com corn committee committee recommend that the telephone franchise ordinances introduced by Fernstrom F be filed It Is now suggested by Stewart that if it It seems desirable to free the com corn companies companies panics from the burden of the license tax ordinance by b having them pay a 1 per cent gross earnings tax that the li Ii license license cense law be amended so as to give gle that alternative to the concerns I 1 do not believe bellet that we should give the Bell company any sort of a fran franchise franchise franchise chise said Mr Stewart last l st evening It has no franchise now and by rati ratifying tying and confirming the rights it pre pro pretends tends to have we would be giving it an absolute franchise for tor a period of or a quarter of 01 a century conditioned only upon the payment of a 1 per cent gross earnings tax I 1 believe that under the present status of the company company the council may if It It sees fit regulate to some extent the rates charged by the Bell company If It the franchise were passed the councils hands would be tied for tor years It developed that neither of the com corn companies panics has deposited the required by all applicants for tor franchises ind therefore the ordinances introduced by Fernstrom are out of or order in any event Under the proposed plan both the companies Would be paying 1 per cent of their gross earnings to the city The Independent company does so no now and supplies free tree phones The Bell company will be required to fur furnish furnish furnish nish an equal eq number in addition to the tax This will put JUt both companies on the same basis |