The herald., 1896-12-01

longed applause.)
why, 1t has already violated this
contract and forfeited any right to con-
sideration, and l will tell you how. Un
inches OF the water of the Los Angeles
river. What does it do? Why, it goes
into scheme by which the Crystal
Springs Land Company is formed-and
this Is but corporation within cor
poration, with the same board of d.
rectors, all the same Southern Pacific
and Central Pacific-and this company
goes up here about seven miles from the
city and there, where there is bend in
the river, lays its pipes, all perforated,
under the bed of the river and robs this
city of the water which you. the citizens
of Los Angeles, own, and then it turns
around and sells you the water it has
robbed you of-selling 1t to you at that,
at rates which are outrageously extor-
ttonate-and, to cap the climax, when
It files its statement with the city clerk
1t has the audacity to debit itself with
40 per cent of it's gross income, which it
credits to the Crystal Springs company,
giving you figures which are misleading
and which cover up the hundreds of
thousands Of dollars profit 1t makes an
nually. Our city engineer found three
OF the Crystal Springs company's pipes
under the river bed.
II will tell what my plan will be. If the
people OF Los Angeles favor me with a
majority of their ballots. 1 propose to
go about this like you or any sensible
business man would. Some three weeks
ago proposed resolution in the council
to have the city advertise for bids. |
would favor the idea of Offering premi-
ums to bidders for, the best plans and
specifications and the most advantage
eous figures. This was done in Montana
for public building, and our own ar
ch1tect in Los Angeles secured the prize
of $4,000. 1 would favor Offering three
prizes of $4,000, $4,000 and $3000 respect
lively, to bidders and this would secure
for us competition the most favorable
to our city. Not long ago an agent of a
st. Louis firm came to me and told me
he stood ready to bid and that his COM
pany would pledge itself to complete
first class water system for us within six
months.
Just see how this would work: You
remember that four years ago the water
company said it wanted SO, SOC, 900 for it's
plant and Mr.. Dockweier then city
engineer, made an estimate. Mr. Dock
weiler's estimate was 81, ,99O, 900. Think
of that! Think of what the water COM
pany is trying to do. For this reason,
If no other. l am opposed to any COM
mission that would be the watcY com
pany's commission and nothing else.
(Applause.)
You see we must go about this mat
ter the same way we would If you were
going to purchase ranch. Would you
take the word alone of the man who
wanted to sell the ranch? No! So if you
were going to buy stock of goods, or
shoes-I refer to shoes because the
Times calls me a greasy shoemaker
laughter)-you would first see what it
was actually worth. This is what we
propose to do with the water company's
a1ov kI,-&
and say Gentlemen, we have ascer-
tanned just what your plant is worth.
Your plant is worth Just so much, say
81. 900 as possibility Do you want
1t or do you not?' This l believe we are
morally bound to do, and the company
will take just what its plant is worth il
we have the proper kind of city officials.
If 1t Will not, then we can go ahead and
build water system of our own. cloud
and prolonged applause)
why not? We own the water of the
Los Angeles river We own the reser-
voir. We own the streets. We will own
the headwor<s -
las to my opponent, Mr.. Martin, per-
sonally have nothing to say. He is a
gentleman. I have known him for
great many years. But doubt the sim
cerity of the men who framed the Re-
| publican platform.
The people of this city are told that
| the Republican party proposes to give
| them water free-the word free in big
black caps. The Republican convention
did nothing of the kind. This document
was formulated by committee in lit
| tie back room. No, gentlemen. you all
have too much sense to expect anything
of the kind. Expect Mr.. Brodrick, Mr..
Perry and the other gentlemen of the
water company turning over their plant
to you for nothing? (Roars of laugh
ter) Without a dollar of expense to
you? But if you have to secure this
plant at an expense of 81, 900 the tax
es saddled upon you will soon disabuse
your minds of the delusion that you are
getting water free
Look at our rates today Town prop
erty in Topeka, Kansas, and for a seven
room house with bathroom we are there
taxed only $3.50 per quarter. But for my
| home here, which uses no more water,
| my rates average about $Ss per annum.
"One more matter and then am done.
| 1t is not my spelling, because am going
to get out a dictionary Gaughter.) l
have just as much right to get out one
| as Webster had Nor is it to refer to the
piece of attempted blackmail, devoured
| by the Times from Bud Price-I should
say, any Price Qaughter)-no; yet it is
| a matter that concerns the Times, for
which l apologize.
Last April resolution was passed by
| the council of this city known as the
| Santa Monica resolution. 1 opposed that
resolution and voted against it. But the
resolution passed and l was the only
| member who voted against. CAP
| plause.) AS had voted against it could
not move to reconsider it according to
parliamentary rules, as you know but
| tried to get one of the members who had
| voted for it to make a motion to recon-
| slider it. / could not get any one to do so,
| and the council adjourned with this res
| olution recorded againatit in the pages
| of our local history. This is what the
Times of April 12 then said editorially
| "'Only one councilman-Mr. Snyder
exhibited sufficient intelligence and inde-
| pendence to rise and protest against this
proceeding. Mr.. Snyder is entitled to
| the thanks of this community for the
| stand he took in opposition to the infa-
| NOUS scheme to commit the city of Los
| Angeles, through it's councilmen, to the
| plans of Coils p. Huntington to loot
| the treasury of the United States for
| his personal benefit. The posi-
! ton of Mr. Snyder in this matter is to
| his credit
| "Oh, how different the Times sounds
now! l was not then candidate for
mayor loud laughter)
"At the very next meeting | hap
! pened to be absent from the city on a
business engagement during the fore
| noon session, but l got back to attend
| the afternoon session. The Times of
| Anri1 a. after commenting upon Presi-