A LATION OF RATES. STREET railway company, a gas or electric light company, a telephone or water company, and all similar companies, must ordinarily, in order to operate within the limits of a city, first obtain the consent of the proper municipal authorities for the necessary use of the public streets. A contract between the city and the company or individual engaging in such business is usually the result. The company makes certain promises, agrees to certain conditions with respect to the conduct of its business, in consideration of the grant to it of a right to use the streets, and of possible promises and undertakings on the part of the city. Very commonly the rates to be charged for the services offered by the company to the city or its inhabitants are made the subject of an express provision in the contract, and it is proposed in this article to deal with the various questions arising with reference to such rate provisions contained in municipal contracts. The scope and effect of such provisions as to rates will depend not only upon the form of the agreement with reference thereto contained in the contract, but upon the power and authority of the city to deal with the question of rates to be charged by persons engaged in a public service business. In the first place, it may be that no express power to deal with the subject of rates has been granted to the city by the legislature. In such case, what would be the effect of an agreement as to rates contained in a contract |