The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-01-04
MIGHT VOTE DIFFERENTLY NOW.

SO the will of the people is to be dis
regarded Negotiations for water works
Improvements have been cut off COM
pletely. Every movement the opposi-
ton have made in this matter only
plunged the city deeper into debt How
ever, the rnasque behind which several
coucllmen have hidden during the inter
ninable broil, has at last been raised
They have claimed all along that their
opposition to the measure was due to the
alleged exorbitant price of the old plant
This bubble was exploded last Thursday
evening by their determined stand against
the Waggoner resolution, which provided
for the floating of bonds the proceeds of
which were to be used in the construc-
ton of an entirely new plant. When the
people, by large majority, declared for
the city's ownership and operation of
water works; they had a right to expect
their request i'll the matter would be
speedily complied with. We find, how
ever, five councilmen, two or three of
whom are possessed of vascillating ten
denotes, aided and abetted by handful
of obstructionists who propose to thwart
the expressed will of the masses by cut
ting off any negotiations whatever for
water works Had this stand been taken
at the outset we would be confronted with
altogether different condition of affairs.
No unnecessary expensive litigation
would have resulted, and no uncompleted
contract would be in existence, upon
which the city will probably become liza
bic for damages.
The policy of the GAZETTE has been
to sanction the course pursued by ma
jority of the council, as such members
were acting for and by the authority of
the people. This paper has stated before,
that the obstructionists in this matter had
broken faith with the public; that they
proposed to shut off water improvements
on any basis; that the cry of fraud and
exorbitant high price of the old plant
WIS a mere bugaboo, behind which they
expected to shield themselves from blame
to be seen that the GAZETTE was right in
its conclusion. When the last chance
was offered for complying with the wishes
of the public, this discordant element
plainly showing the sullen stubh orn op-
position which has characterized their
stand throughout the whole affair, as well
as their utter disregard of the sentiments
expressed by their constituents in August,
1892. However, three councilmen were
found true to the last.
To councilman Lees credit it can be
said that he has been consistent with
himself throughout, although his policy
has been r1onarchica1, rather than demo-
cratic. This, though, can not be said of
at least two other members who have
been found first on one side, then on the
other. If the council is to be made of
men whose minds vasci11ate as the winds,
it will probably be best in the end to pay
the old water company whatever DANA
ges it has suffered through the incompe-
tency of these embryo statesmen, and
retire from the water business entirely.
Had the people ever supposed that such
inconpetency, discord and lack of bust
ness judgment would develop in the
councils deliberations over this affair,
Or that needless expense of thousand
or more dollars would be entai1ed in 1iti-
0atiOr1 t11e voters vvo11fd certoiu1y, -,ay-or
have cast their ballots as they did. As
the matter now stands, the GAZETTE is
led to repeat the words of the IMMORTAL
Shakespeare: "Better to suffer the ills
we bear, than fly to others we know not
of"