The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-23

being called on for further explanation stasei
distinctly that, IN my Judgment, the oTaeF %
time in the mourning OF city debt, as between
debt for the three special purposes OF Wats.'
light and sewers. and debt fer all other fauH'e'-
pal purposes. was material in lis bearing upon
the question when the constitutional per eens'
limit was reached: and that II the water pont.s
shoald be held invalid By the supreme cos.t'
there would be some onpensat;on for the city
in the fact that the way would then be iree TO
contract necessary Indebtedness IN the proper
order 10 insure the validity OF II all. But the
paragraph OF my communication above quoieI
Is so unmistakable in It's meaning THAI II needeo
no addition by way OF oral statement
This was ali that could do. The water 6onds
had been authorized by ordinance ana asseilfed
20 by popular vote before my term OF office. ne
city had. on the faith OF their expected sale.
contracted for material and plant 10 nearly tie
entire amount OF the issue before lay Term
began The popular sentiment was oyeIw neln,-
ingiy in favor OF placing the bonds already voted
on such terms SIS the market might admit or
To have advised the council TO drop the attempt
TO place those bonds, simply IN order 70 remedy
an oversight that had occurred pT7or 10 my tsIl
OF office, in not providing for other needed
bonds as deb. anterior 20 the water bonds.
would have been to travel beyond my province
as the citys legal adviser into the domain OF the
cfty's financial policy, and 20 surrender IN the
tight that an interested clique OF people
were wagfng TO prevent the placing OF the
bonds Not only my professional and Official
duty forbade such betrayal of the eirys cause,
but sound choice between two evils would have
forbidden the CITY TO take such course even II
had advised IT. If the question were present
one today, and the city had TO. choose between
placing saoS,0 water bonds already voted and
the proceeds OF which were urgently required 70
save the city from dishonoring Its commercial
obligations for material and plant 20 their full
amount, such choice involving Il postponement
for year longer OF the issuance OF bonds 10 pay
for the widening of streets and the appTepTIa-
ton of the public square after the IRE, or, on the
other hand, issuing within the next three or four
months bonds TO pay for the street widening,
etc, ard to refund outstanding warrants on the
road and fire funds az the cost OF postEonlng tor
at least three or four months TO come the lssii-
ance OF water bonds and the requirement there
by OF the water system well as the discnarse
OF commercial obligations Tor pumps and plles.
no disinieressed citizen would hesitate moment
TO adopt the former course as the lesser OF Two
evils
The Times throughout its attack upon me i'm
plies hat il has at other times more unnistak-
ably infimated. that have been or am the at
toruey OF y. W. Harris & Co, who purchased
the water bonds during my term OF once. am
not and never have been the attorney Of y. W
Harris q Co. and have never been given charge
OF any business for them, or received dollar
from them directly or indirectly. / am open To
Il retainer from that EouSe- however or troIa
any other respectable client. whenever they
shall choose 70 honor Inc by conflding TO my
professional charge any reputable business that
the city OF Seattle or otherwise certainly
shall not hold myself. as some people seem 10
think / ought, disqualified from taking charge
OF legal business against this city because was
for three months its earnest and oyerworked
legal adviser. But the special inter
est" that ..thc cx-city attorney now
has IN the matter OF the new
bond issue" and the only interest that he has in
il il that OF citizen with the welfare and honor Of
this c:ty az heart, who desires 10 do his small
part toward saving the city, ii possible, from
the humiliating position in which Tacoma has
lately been placed. Of authorizing, Offering. and
perhaps even contracting the sale of an issue OF
bonds and then having them rejected by the
buyer oc the strength OF unquestionable legal
10 Try 70 divert attention from the grave Ques-
tons OF legality that my recent letter raised by
personal attacks upon me- These questions
mus, be Needed now, or ii they are not they viii
recUr later on 10 plague those whose official duty
IL is TO deal with them at this time: and If the
result shall then he that which | anticipate,
and OF which have cited ample legal authority
10 justify the anticipation. somebody will be
held responsible by public sentiment The rem
edies and different courses that viii avoid or lay
at rest these questions were suggested by me,
and those suggestions also are worthy Of e0Dsid-
Grafton, submit And 10 those suggestions W III
add this further one: That ii the city deems
il more desirable 10 provide Immediately for the
payment OF the expense OF the street widening
snd establishing OF the public square than 10
procure Immediately the remaining funds
needed. and now available, 20 pay for the pipe
and other materials purchased for the water
system. the authorities open negotiations with
y. ". Harris & Co., the purchasers of the water
Dcl0es Tor the CANCELLATION ~ the contract OF
sale 70 them &c 10 the $t5t00 OF those bonds not
Yet delivered but still in the custody OF the
Chase National bank for the city. II the city
ought last summer 10 have backed up in issuing
its water bonds and dTst provided bonds for the
street widening, etc, ana then begun anew on
the water bonds, it has it still in It's power to do
60, or at least 70 open negotiations 10 that end
III. on its making such oyerfuKes TO y. W Harris
q Co. they reject them and insist upon having
the bonds according 70 the existing contract OF
sale, viii then admit, what the TiRcs last Au-
gust 50 vehementiy cpnteuded. that the price ar
which the bonds were sold 10 Harris & 20. was a
favorable one far them and lower than the city
ought 10 have been able 70 obtain Yours truly,
THOMAS E <UEPAED