New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-06

Mayor benz. r. rldnoeAe P4e7ANO"' 80
there were present Administrators John
Coekrem tImprovementsl, Alfred Shaw
tPublic Accounts), James Lewis tPohce),
John S. Walton (Finance), and H. Bonzano
fAssessrnents).
Absent: Administrators L. I. Delasslzp
lwaterworks and Public Buildings and
r. C. Remick (Commerce)
The waterworks-Mayor's Veto.
MAYoEArry OF NET ORLEANS
- September 5, 1871
3 Tothe City Council Of New Orleans;
Atthe last regular meeting of the Coun-
ell the following resolution was adopted by
a vote Of four to three
Resolped,' That it is the sense of this Couu-
cil that the ordinance known as the Water
works ordinance" promulgated as having
nassed at the last session of the Council,
was not legally passed, and that the bonds
proposed to be issued pursuant to authority
of said ordinance can not be legally issued
Hereunder.
This is the opinion merely Of four mem
bers of the Council. The legality or He
gality of the ordinance is judicial question
which can not be determined by the views
of Administrators, however unanimously
expressed in that form. Therefore the
resolution might be allowed to stand with
out affecting the validity of the ordinance;
but, as am required by the charter either
to return in writing my objections to ali or
dlnances and resolutions passed by the
Council or to sign and promulgate them, my
PRONUNCIATION of this resolution without any
expression of dissent would place me in the
attitude of agreeing with.the opinion of the
four members who voted for that resolution,
when, in fact, agree with the three Ad-
ministrators who voted against it. / there
fore veto the resolution and return it to the
Council without my signature.
take this occasion of saying further,
that measures should at once be adopted
for the improvement and extension of the
city Waterworks.
Ny great desire is to save the Water
works to the city, and to extend and i'm
prove them, and such | understand to be
the object of the Administrator. Of Water
works, and of those who voted with him in
favor of the Waterworks ordinance. No
city in this country has allowed its water
works to pass into the hands of a private
corporation. The water which the people
drink should not be made a matter of
speculation and profit to individuals. 1t is
as necessary as the air we breathe, and
should be, as far as possible, as free and
untrammeled. 1t ought to be easily acces-
sible to all, at the cheapest possible rate.
If the ordinance PASSED by the Council,
August %, requires amendment so as to
throw greater safeguards over the public
interests, let those amendments be intro
duced IN the form of a supplementary ordi-
nance, and believe the Council will readily
adopt them. Or if any better plan of secur-
ing the Waterworks TO the city and pro-
tecting this important public property from
spoliation can be suggested, !, for one, viii
give it my cordial advocacy; but earnestly
urge upon administrators that it is their
duty to do something for the Waterworks,
and to do that something without delay.
BENZ. F. FLANDERS, Mayor.
Mr.. Lewis moved that the resolution do
now pass, the veto of the Mayor to the con-
trary notwithstanding.
Mr. Shaw moved that the whole question
be postponed.
Mr.. Bonzano said he noticed in the Mayors
message statement that there were only
three members in favor of an extension Of
the Waterworks.
The Mayor said the gentleman must have
misunderstood him, and handed him the
message to read.
Mr.. Bonzano cited the following passage:
NY great desire is to save the Water
works to the city and to extend and i'm
prove them, and such understand to be
the object of the Administration OF Water
works and of those who voted with him in
favor of the Waterwotks ordinance.
This, he contended! was a negative asser-
ton that those who did not vote for this or
dinance were not in favor of extending the
WaterEorks, were not in favor Of improv-
ing them. There was no one who had the
right to say he lMr. Bonzano) was not in
favor Of an extension Of the Waterworks
= He had only opposed this way of going to
work at it. He had said from the beginning,
and if he had been allowed the opportunity
of being present when this ordinance was
put to the vote, he would have said again
that this voting two million and a half of
bonds was not going to attain the object
sought, because if the object was 10 pre-
vent the Legislature interfering with the
Waterworks, the mere passage of an
ordinance appropriating two millions and
q half of bonds would not prevent the
Legislature from abolishipg the Office of
Administrator of Waterwo1ks and appoint
ing commission, composed possibly, of
these very Objectionable men, who were
now trying to take possession of the works,
and from turning over to them, perhaps, the
very funds. now. appropriated, because
between now and the next meeting of the
Legislature it was impossible to expend
them. He believed, further, that though the
majority of the Council were against the
expenditure of these two million and half
of bends, the msjoIity would heartily CO.
operate with the. Mayor in protecting the
Waterworks from spoliatiOn. But they
were not exactly prepared to appropriate
two milliens ana half Of bonds and to
place them in the1ands of one Admins
TRAITOR and his subordinates before they
knew whether this Administrator and his
subordinates were ID be trusted to perform
rightly the duties assigned to them He
had said several times he did not know
whether the Mayor nndestood him rightly
or not, but he would quote from his ( Mr..
Bonzano'sj own record: N-8s-Ass<
The object of all this seems to be TO take
care OF the virtue of the legislature Now.
we are The creatures OF the Legislature and