The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-04-16

ell. when apprised of the action of the
Chamber of Commerce. conceded heart
lily IN the views expressed. and voluntar-
lily agreed TO act with the committee of
the Chamber of Commerce in seeking
the assistance of an architect to prepare
Il plan and estimate o. the building. In
due TIM the plan was prepared and the
estimate given. when il was found that
a building to meet the needs of the
city and provide an auditorium
for the people, would cost.
with heating plant complete. in the
neighborhood of s16.OOO.O0. As it was
shown that fully s6.OCO.OO was added to
the cost by the auditorium. the JOURNAL
urged that the erection of an auditor
ium be made a matter of private enter
prise. and that the needs of the city be
only provided for in the proposed build
ing. While the discussion was at this
stage a meeting Of the taxpayers was
called TO again deliberate on the subject.
and by thier action to indicate to the city
council. what was desired. There is no
question but that the meeting was a full
representation of the taxpayers. o that
the almost unanimous sense of that
meeting was in favor of a city building
with an auditorium included. to cost
s1s.oo.oo if necessary. Believing that
suc,i a building would be IA benefit to
the city in many ways. and not being
egotistical enough to assume to be wiser
than the Whole people. the JOURNAL has
since that time been in favor of the
building lis last proposed. and though
saying little On the subject. has hoped
for the carrying of the bonding PROPOSE
ton at the coming election.
What has been the professors atti
tude during the public discussion of this
matter. At the meeting of the Chamber
of Commerce. to which all citizens were
invited. and the object of the meeting
publicly declared for several days in adj
vance. he was conspicuous by his alb
Previous to the citizens meeting,
when the JOURNAL arranged to get a
c~oncensus Of public opinion on the sub
lect. the professor stated that he was
opposed to any such measure under the
management of the present board of
aldermen, which expression he later
qualified by adding to it. until there was
money in the treasury to pay for the
building. Such a qualification amounted
10 nothing as neither he nor any one
Use could expect that during the life of +,
his present board of aldermen. or any ,
succeeding one. there would be
'ls.oo0.eo lying idle in the treasury. The
act Is. that taken at the spur of the
noment. his only objection was his OPP !,
position TO the present board of alder ;
hen. At the citizens meeting the pro ;.
essor Was present. and after first op- !
losing the proposition to erect any sort :.
I a city building. tried, when it began =,
o assume lis present shape. to belittle +,
10y asserting that slS,0u0.oO was net /
early enough. that we ought to have a :.
'nilding to cost s25.O0O.oo or s4o.GO0.N
offered to subscribe $4,000 towards :.
he erection of ii 100000 buildins. !,
his was either a bluff or Il proposition :.
ntirely inconsistent with his present !
economic ideas. as the sa50GO would in :.
II probability represent the full sum !,
e will be called upon to pay on account ;.
the public building for the twenty
ears the bonds will run. The prores-
mission now is TO defeat the bonds.
OF because it is to be an expensive en-
to the taxpayers because
e has volunteered 10 give up his share
eely and as Il gift. Not because there
an auditorium connected with the
Hiding. because he makes no objection
this feature. Why then. For an
yer we are relegated to his voluntary
ateinent. that is because he is opposed
the present board of aldermen. and to
duce others to adopt his views he
rades a column Of items of expense
r maintaining the city hall some of
llch are wholly tictitions and others of
llch are grossly exaggerated. The
lgth of this article precludes our
ing into a discussion of these figures
this time. but we are not averse to
ing SO. and showing wherein they are
titious and exaggerated.
vi