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Show , "it is iii:rri:u to ;o mow than hi; ' stntitv," 'I'hc city council meets tonight. One iibject considered will lie natural gas franchises. We expect to .see, the rity fathers meet in regular scs- moii for several weeks yet before Filch a franchise is granted. "Jt is better to go slow than be sorry," und , this subject cannot bo too carefully considered. Tine Times lias heretofore calltid attention to soino vital defects in the ordinance oll'ered at the lat meeting of the council. While urging the necessity of dealing liberally with and offering every encouragement to fliich companies as may inako appli- i cation for rights and privileges, it iigaiu calls attention to tho necessity of caution. Natural gas franchises should be .surrounded .sur-rounded by every safeguard necessary to tho publie welfare. Natural gas niied with air in certain proportion is ; the terrible lire damp, the cause of so many mine, disasters. This makes it necessary that any franchise grunted jirovide for a rigorous inspection of all ; pipes put down. A thorough pressure test of every (section should be insisted , .upon. ' No monopoly of any nature should be permitted. In the one ordinance proposed, tho maximum prieo is put at $1 per 1000 cubic feet. Such a prieo is i outrageous, aud of course should not be t considered for a momeut. It is now argued that the company does not think of such a price, but merely use that figure in order to obtain a franchise upon which it can raiso money with ' which push tho work of development. That is all vory well. Hut once grant any company a monopoly aud in ono years time tho people of this city will be crying out under oppressions inoro grinding than those of the most avaricious avari-cious octopus in tho land. Kvery company organized for tho development of our gas dhotild 1m encouraged tonally but at tho same timo an indiscriminate granting of franchises is to bo avoided. No burdens should be placed on capital cap-ital that is soekiug investments in that Held but at the same timo the interests of the city must not be forgotten. There Vs no cause for undue haste. It will do no harm to sink a few more wells. A study of municipal action ou this subject in Pittsburgh and other cities of the gas belt would do uo harm. We can prolit by their experience. The work of years thero should not be overlooked. over-looked. Those cities havo grappled with the problem, aud it has not been an easy one, and many of them have ulevised Jwise. measures, just alike to 'producer ami consumer. Take a few lessons in their schools. "It is better lo go slow than be sorry.'' Kl xsl A'S SI H-TltKAM llV S( IIK.MK. Tho Ktissiaii (rovcruniout has lit'cu trj'ing since a si licnio sonicw h:tt akin to tho sub-tivasiiry plau iirojiosiHl liy the Fanners' alliance, which has given great satisfaction to all con-cerncil. con-cerncil. The salient points of the scheme are that advances or grain may :o made by any railroad on account of the Imperial bank of Hnssia, when authorized au-thorized by the minister of linauce. Theso advances are not allowed to exceed ex-ceed (il) per cent of the value of the grain at the nearest market, but in cases of short time loans of six weeks or less, HO per cent of its value can be obtained. An interest of 0 per cent, , payable in advance, with small charges for commissions are exacted. These loans are made for six months or a year and if not repaid at maturity the railroads can sell the grain. . If tho value of the grain is in danger of deterioration de-terioration the railroads can sell it before be-fore the expiration uf tho time. A charge is made for the transportation of the grain to the place of sale and is considered part of tho loan. Thero are lio middlemen aud all transactions are made directly with the producer. I'nited States Consul (ieneral Crawford says cf it in his report to the. state depart-1 depart-1 ment: j This stlit'iuo unit into effect on Jum 15-t), lsss, , and id the pri'-nt day it i- irni-rally adoptitl Hliroiiu'hout thf eoiiiitrx , and bnMms is rarrlrd on , tinder It on a very l.irvi' scnli'. 1 should add that ; tlii scheme ivot. i-re.it Kutisfjirtum to the iarmers, very many of whom deol.ire it lias been an essential essen-tial feature of snrresi-ftil farming in Kus-ia. |
