The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-04-04
TIE SPECIAL ELECTION.
How the Canal Question Stands

To morrow the special election wi
be held which is to decide whethe
this city shall have water or not. Tn
columns OF the HERALD have bee
thrown open to everyone on this sui
liect, and many citizens have espresso
themselves freely on it. Since th
call for the special election was put
lished every communication on In
subject has been given room, and n
one can complain OF being slighted
The discussion thus INDUCED in ha
shown a wide difference of opinion, a
to the best means for obtaining II
but a universal acknowledgment
that more water was needed. Will
many plans have been suggested to-
preponderance of reason and argu
ment has supported the idea of tht
Council that the most feasible methoC
of procuring an adequate supply is By
means of a canal; even those tina
suggested other ideas, have conceded
that a canal would do If the WateI
supply was insured, but their OWL
plans were naturally preferred. 81
the question has narrowed down to {
canal, or no canal; water or no water
The route mentioned in the sddres,
of the City Council has been attacked
and critized very freely, whether with
Justice will not be discussed here; but
one thing in this regard is worthy o
special notice-the first person oil
judgment is yet to be found who has
declared that an adequate supply
could not be brought from Utah Lake
to this city. This then nsrrows the
question down to one Of route, and
Ihst Of route is narrowed down to one
of section OF the route. No person
is foolish enough to imagine that
Mayor Little and the City Council
who have so much at stake personally,
will expend one dollar on this canal
from the point where the disputed and
questioned section commences, until
assured of the result, as well as
science and sense can assure a result.
The Council is not committed to any
route, and if it is found that the old
Church Canal will not answer, any
man of sense knows that another
route will be chosen.
So far the result Of an affirmative
vote has been weighed, but 1t is we'll
enough to lock at the result of a mega
tive vote on this question. II the
necessary two-tnirGs vote for the
lean be not cast, then we are
not going to have water. The pres
ent Council will continue for two
years, and one refusal in this respect
will in all probability be enough; it is
then a question if the succeeding
Council will be willing to risk vote
on this matter unless they put it 10
July or August, at which time, all
your arguments to the contrary, the
present vote would go through with
scarce any opposition. During this
two years other canals will probably
be finished, and the surplus water of
the Jordan become the property of
others. Then we will want water,
and if we get it, will have to pay
treble and quadruple what it
wonld nov cost, Even if we could
get 1t then, the benefit of two years
time is irretrieyably lost-We have
to risk in the delay, and
lot the first thing to gain, not soil
!ary thing. A computation would
show this question of time 10 be one
Of nc small importance. As to the
that every foot of the
route should be known and the exact
cost set down, it is simply absurd. a
idea, of course, could be
given ; but even if these we're stated
and the vote put upon them, it would
be liable to the very objection urged
the Council address
hat ie, the Council would be COM
mitted to a certain route, and no
matter how palpable it might be that
a mistake had been made, it could !
not be Tecti6ed. Now, however, it
can. Again, whether there is any
truth in it or not, and it is not
at all improbable, it is reported |
that if the city refuses the loan,
certain capitalists have determined
to make an effort to get these waters,
and will hold them a few years, when
the city will be forced to buy the right
it can now obtain for nothing; and
will have TO pay huge figure for it,
Of course.
1. is with this as with everything
Else, any number o! objections can be
raised to any plan, but to suggest a
better plan is the difficulty. While
many good ideas have been advan ced
in opposition 10 the measure, a can
did analysis of the discussion will
show weighty prepOnderance oil
reason in favor of the canal proposed
by the Council, and large majority
Of the people favor it. In this respect
and in this decision, then at least,
the Council has displayed judgment.
Now it is a question as to whether
personal preferences or ideas in
matter of this kind will be allowed to
public good. It is the policy
Of a broad, liberal mind, to use every
legitimate means to accomplish that
which is an acknowledged necessity
by the means that appear best to the
mind; failing, however, in the pre-
ferred means, such mind would
never think of opposing the end be-
cause some other means than those
desired had been employed;
that is cavilling, it is egotism, selfish
ness, narrow mindedness, and all that
is small and Getsstsble. 1t indicates
that q mind capable of such a short
sighted act, imasines that all the Wis
dom is concenl ated IN itself and that
one entertaining opposing ideas is
Internationally wrong. This matter
is one of grave public policy. 1t Is
evident that water is wanted; that a
canal is generally viewed as being
the best plan, and that the the City
Council will bring an adequate water
supply if the loan is granted. All
must concede that a canal Is the
most generally favored method; and
the true man, of liberal views, will
not vote agains. the general public
good simply because the means en-
ployed does rot snit him, but ne Will
argue to himself: AZ need water. and
since I cannot get it my way, l am
not going to be fool enough 20 try
and prevent its coming altogether
because some other plan has been
adopted. like my way best, but l
want water and will vote for the
other method to get it." We trust
the citizens of Salt Lake are COM
oosed of this class Of people.