The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14

| Although it is over a year until the
next city election takes place, there is
already a radical reform movement on
foot, and it may cut considerable
figure during the next municipal cam
paign County Commissioner Hall is
| credited with being the father of the
movement, which is nothing more nor
less than free water for every con-
sumer
The idea may not be a new one, but
in few cities has it been put to a
practical test. In its favor, however,
there are as many arguments as can
be mustered in support of free light
ing In short, Mr.. Hall believes that
the water department should be MAIN
tanned by a property tax just the same
as the street lighting, fire department
and other public necessities are kept
up under the present system. Water
is as necessary to human happi-
ness as anything else, if not more SO,
and he therefore terms it gross in
justice to tax the poor family for the
maintenance of a water department
when the greatest benefit from il is
realized by the property owners. The
free water argument is based on the
same ground as free sprinkling and
L y
for the extension of mains. Then why
should the necessarieS of life be taxed
for the purpose of maintaining the
city governments
FREE WATER CLUBS.
OF course the movement is in it's in
fancy yet, but already there has been
some talk of organizing free water
clubs for thorough consideration of the
important subject, and it is not i'm
probable that free water viii be an
important campaign cry a year hence.
Commissioner Hall, who has given
the matter much thought, was seen
yesterday and outlined his arguments
in behalf of free water Mr. Hall at
talking about too many reforms
abroad. Reform, like charity, might
better begin at home, and the progress
in national affairs would be more
marked.
The truth is said Mr.. Hall, that !
the water was appropriated by the
people for their use and benefit before !
we had any city government. and the
waterworks have been almost entirely |
constructed by the citizens, the same |
as they originally dug the bitches to
lead the water to their premises. Now |
wherever the mains have been extend |
ed the citizens owning the abutting |
an extension.
The citizens have an inherent and 1 |
believe g. legal right to use the water.
They simply turned over to the city |
the matter of distributing this water
among the citizens, and you can there
fore see it is manifestly unjust to make /
the water system a source of revenue
TO the city. In the case of irrigating
water the distribution was always free
and paid for by general taxation. Why
should il not be free when the same
water is distributed through the pipes?
AND OPPRESSION.
1t certainly never was intended by
the founders of our present water sys-
tenn that the city should derive a
revenue from the water and it seems
TO me usurpation and oppression on the
part OF the city government 10 charge
he high rates they are now exacting
rom the people for the distribution of
his water. 1t is time. 1 should think.
.or the people TO wake up. The pres
mt city officials admit they collect
rom water rates more than twice the
COST of maintaining the system, thus
making the users of water pay a large
proportion of the expense of running
he city government in the way of
a!aries and otherwise. Now if it is
lSht for the city to thus derive the
PRESENT revenue from the water de-
'artment, il would be lust as much ITS . {
lght TO put the water tax up suf-
lciently high to maintain the entire {
lty government. This would be clearly
wrong, Tor the reason it places the bur- !
en OF maintaining the city govern :
nent upon the poor people rather than
he property owners. Thus we find {
ow that many a poor man with a {
irge family struggling for food and
&c nh Nv h '
D pay more than many of the rich men /
owards maintaining the waterworks-
Let me Illustrate to you the injustice
the present system. The fire depart :
lent for example is maintained by a
roperty tax. 1t is necessary to the |
rejection of large business blocks and
Gods in the city. Now the water that
Y water rates charged to the poor
eople as well as the richer throughout I
ne city. Why not then furnish the
ater by property tax?
A GOOD WATER SYSTEM. s
The fact that we have a good water
ystem which can be utilized for ex-
nguishing fires greatly reduces the :
lsurance paid by the large property
wners in the center of the city. This L
another reason why they should pay
tax on their property towards main :
llnlnS the WaterWOrkS which is yearly
iving them a large amount annually
4 their insurance"
Mr.. Hall said in conclusion that he
Ipected a great deal of objections to
lie suggestion. especially from the
ealthier classes, who would naturally I
: averse to furnishing free water to
le citizens in general. A complete dis
lssion of the subject he thought, how =
Ter, would bring to the surface many
ore reasons why the water should be
Finished free. He believed it would be =
ie great municipal reform movement ,
the near future and Salt Lake as a .
oppressive city could well afford TO
Ike the initiative in the west