The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-09
ADDRESS TO VOTERS.
A Calm Review of the Water
Question.
LETTER FROM MR.. II. c. HENRY.
Reasons Why the Debt OF the City
should Not Be Increased-Serious
Consequences OF a Mistake.

controversy ana nave not neaTu an dTsu-
msnt worthy Of any consideration IN IA
vor of the project. I do not understand
why any man in this city, except, perhaps,
the authors OF the iIl-t.med measure from
pride OF paternity. and others who may
hope to disburse the proceeds. should vote
for il.
The question at issue next Tuesday is
one Of vast Importance. for it involves the
public credit OF the city and the good faith
Of it's people.
If by our votes IL should De settled once
for ali that the constitutional limit OF IN
debtedness can be overridden and the gate
opened wide to municipal extravaganza
and corruption, taxation and debt, you can
bid farewell TO the proud name this city
has hitherto borne. for ii Will become a
d.scredited thing in every business center
of the country. and each one OF US viii
share the shame OF IL. If the mi~schievous
measure should carry at the polls and De
confirmed by the courts. as it will have 10
be, II VIII be an act of the grossest viola
ton OF faith towards every present holder
OF our securities. for not one bond or this
city was ever sold, except with the dis
tinct understanding by all parties 10 the
purchase, the people included. that the
limit OF debt was fixed by law. Now, IL this
city under any pretext cam issue N,oSo,@o
worth OF warrants. which are bound 10 De
pd1u, DecauSS Ger ~AlN sure revenue III
the present system will be pledged TO the
payment, then the ability of this city to
provide for its present Indebtedness is seri-
ously lessened. and every holder of a bond
has a right 10 protest against such UNFAIR
and dishonest treatment Ii the ownership
of the bonds OF this city was distributed
among the people OF this city. how long
would a dishonora5le proposition of the
kind contemplated stand? Ii would be boot
- - IT, t. -. Il nn1 81 nNN-
thors would wish they had never been
born.
Danger of Default.
1t is pretended the Spokane case ~justifes
and legalizes this ordinance. when the two
cases are utterly d.ssimilar. except IN one
r~espect-water. l Will mention only one OF
many important differences. / cannot do
il in the language Of a lawyer. 1t was set
out affirmatively, and was not d~isproved
or attempted to be, as l am told, that the
issuance of the water extension warrants
in no way affected the existing debt Of that
city. How easy TO disprove such a conten-
ton here. for the treasurer of this city Is
even now watching anxiously day by day
the growth of the water fund TO enable
him to make a payment of interest of
nearly 10000 due the 10th day or this
month. In making that payment he Will
need and use much more than $4,000 of
this fund. Surprising that ordinance No.
$3.50 was in force today, and the surplus
from the present system tied up as pro-
posed. from what source except from
heavier taxes could this S20,e 600 be OBJ
tanned? And yet in the face of this fact
it is said that If the warrants are issued
the taxes will be reduced. That the peo-
pie OF this city in the very month in which
there is danger of default in interest will
by their votes assist TO make that danger
a certainty at some future time is 10 me
inconeeivable.
The taxpayer will have a right TO pro-
test. and he viii take his protest into court,
andsI firmly believe Will there get relief.
For 1t is not possible Of belief that the
Judiciary of this state Will permit the cred
it Of its cities to be recklessly overthrow
and faith broken with the thousands of pur-
chasers Of their securities.
The City's Rights.
They say if their scheme fails the city
has rights it will lose. This is not true.
Whatever rights the city has are contiu-
uing rights. and can be put in force as
well next year or the year after as to-
day.
This city never has and never will in
any condemnation proceedings. give more
than the property aiken is worth. No one
can prevent the people of this city getting
water when and from where they want Ii.
We are not living in a parched desert,
where a drop Of water is priceless.
We now have a complete water system.
We get the water from a lake broad and
long n deep, fed by springs and streams
whose sources are in the Cascade mount
aims near at hand. That water IS not dan
gerous TO life or health. The vital statis-
ties declare this city 10 be the most health
full IN this country except one. In only
one is the death rate per thousand as low
as in this, less than s. Who believes with
q record of health like this that the men,
women and children are saturating them
selves with poison from Lake Washington?
We have been stuffed with figures from
al sides, until the understanding has be-
come clogged and figures have nothing TO
do with IL. The time for figures is not
now, II It ever comes. It is not a question
OF figures. but OF preserving the public
credit OF this city; of keeping faith with
our creditors, and saving a tax-ridden peo-
pie from further burden.
XIII the scheme.
The solemn business of the hour is 20 kill
this wretched scheme for our undoing
with our votes. not barely beating it, but
10 oyerwhelm Il and bury ii e~verlastingly
beyond hope OF resurrection. and If any Of
the authors OF /: fall into the grave, they
VIII never be missed irSthe management Of
the affairs OF this city, especially the hnan-
cial part. After the interment and a rea-
sonable time OF withdrawal from the world.
any proposition looking TO a delivery Of
better water. as cheap or cheaper than we
are getting it now. and securing at the
same time every right the city could obtain
by condemnation. can be considered, and all
the time we will be pumping good water
with our own pumps. mains and d.stribut-
ing pipes, and doing il at a profit. IL VIII
be simply a business proposition, dollars,
EaH . - aAQ ~ a#HFa rI~EN. ~
corporation has US by the throat; the
clutch IS with the city. because the fran
chises OF this city are necessary 10 the
corporation and the water Of the corporal
ton 5 not necessary 20 tie city. II any
persons have used the plans and estimates
or the city to their own profit. beyond
what was warranted BY their openness 20
the public, do no; howl about Il. but be-
fore YOU buy any water Of those persons,
see that they pay a reasonable price for
their use.
The Seattle Power Company. composed
partly OF respected citizens OF this city.
has been most unfairly dealt with. with
out asking a bonus. "a companies usually
DO. or securing a franchise. that company
paid out tens Of thousands Of dollars in
wages.
n Secret Circular
Its GRAND here has never been concealed
and II had a right 70 come upon that er-
rand, for Il should not be forgotten that
the city council. or some members OF that
body. secretly sent out Invitations" 10
investors and construction syndicates in
viting proposals FOR not only constructing
this Cedar river extension, bat for main
tanning. operating and delivering the wa
ter into the pipes OF the present system
at a certain price. etc. A friend % mine
received one OF these papers in New York.
and ! say Il was done secretly because J..
a resident contractor Of this city. never