The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-12-13
LET us HAVE PEACE

was held on Wednesday night be-
tween the directors of the Allen
County Gas Company aud some of the
leading members of the proposed Co
operative Company, the object Of
which was to see whether an under
standing might not he reached where
by, i'm consideration of concessions
from the former company, the latter
might withdraw from the field We
are informed that the talk was an EN-
tirely friendly one throughout, and
that while no definite agreement was
reached yet that further conference
was arranged for, aud that the pros
pect of settlement that would he
satisfactory to all concerned was very
flattering
The REGISTER is sure it but Wi ces
sentiments OF the great majority of
the matter except their anxiety TOR
the welfare of the town, when it ex-
presses the earnest hope that the ne
gOtiatiOns will he successful. We are
assured that he Cooperative company
was not proposed out of any spirit of
anImosity tow ard the old company or
with any wish to cripple it or TO in
vOlve it in litigation. Nevertheless
it is clear that if the new company
should eventually number among It's
stock holders every consumer of gas
in the town, the business of the old
company would be killed: aud it is not
to be expected that the men who have
invested their money in it would al
low this To be done without MAXIM All
effort to save their properly. So that
| litigation seems Inevitable unless
some cumpOomise can be effected; and
if once begun it would be long and
bitter and expensive. And it W. uId
surely hurt the business aud retard
the growth of the town.
Now is the time, if ever, when we
must stand together if We are TO see
lola realize the bright prospects that
are just before it. We all expect the
gas To be the largest factor in bring
ing people here; but how cau it offer
inducements 10 any body if it is all
tied up.In law SUIT? The old gas
company, having SD large a stake in
the town, would he expected 10 be ac-
tive in Inducing capitalists To invest
here; tut what can il be expected 10
do III that way When it Is lighting for
lis life? The euterprising clllZens
who compose the Cooperative cum-
pany would be Indispensable ia help
ing 10 carry fOrm ard any large enter
prise that was to benefit the town:
but what could they do with their
surplus means largely Involved in a
tedious and expensive law suit?
Ii only private Interests were in
volved in this matter the REGISTER
would not consider itself Justified in
saying anything about il. But it
seems TO us that it has come to
pOiu1 where the interests oi every
citizen aud the future prosperity of
the whole town are directly involved,
and 50 we could not withhold these
few earnest words, which we hope all
concerned will take in good part.
We are aware that to reacn a settle
ment now may call for the sacrifice of
little pride on both sides; but how
much better that than long aud bit
ter fight with our town as the sure
loser whoever wins. Let the Allen
County Gas Company concede that
the citizens are entitled to the best
possible service at the lowest possible
price. Let the Cooperative Com
pany concede that men who have ill.,
vested u large amount of money and
have as yet not drawn a dollar out,
are entitled to a fair return on their
investment. And let both remember
that the citizens of lola look to them
to promote and not to fetard the
growth of the town.
eft uS have pP3ca