The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-19
WHY NOT GIVE THE PEOPLE TIME.
A Suggestion That HOUsehOldcrs he
Given Five Wears 20 Pay Their
pnrf Of the FxneuEe

Given Five Wears to Pay Their
Part of the Expense. ~
Editor Morning News: Some time since
a committee of council visited Bruns-
wick to investigate house drainage They
arrived at o'clock at night at Brunswick
and left the next morning at s o'clock. They
met the city authorities-those that in
troduced the system in that city and, of
course, favored it. Without any personal
investigation they returned to Savannah.
They went down there Being in favor of
house drainage, got what they wanted, a
confirmation of their opinions, and re-
turned.
Not heing satisfied with this one-sided in
vestgatioS 1 proceeded to inquire about
the matter myself, and found that house
drainage in Brunswick was confined to the
central parts OF the city, and does not ex-
tend to the suburbs, where the small
houses are, and is cohsidered very expen-
sive, 1t would have been well if the com
mittee had made their report little fuller
and had mentioned these facts. But there
appears to be an utter disregard of the
public interest by this council as is more
fully evinced by a card signed Citizen" in
your morning issue. There 1t is stated that
council provides for mayors notes matur-
Ing at five years at 3 per cent. for pay
ment of work, and although the people
will have as much to pay as the city coun-
Gil for their share of the work. no ar
rangement has been made for economical
Management fof them, butf leave us to
complete our part in four months and to
borroY money at per cent. for that pur-
pose-under, / suppose, some penalty, Of
having the vaults filled up, or fine and
Imprisonment, or having our houses emp
ty, from there being no conveniences for
our tenants. "Citzen" goes on to say 1t
is quite feasible 10 pay for the work in five
years without the people feeling it, He
draws a distinction between the city gov
eminent and the people. The city govern
ment can complete this in the way he says.
but what convenience do69 he propose TO
give the people in this matter Whv does
he not arrange that the people shall have
five years to complete these connections.
In this way accommodate the people I
nave always thought the city was raising
too much money, taxing Us too much. If
they have $40, coo to spare why have they
not been giving us the benefit-reducing
our taxes and water rents In fact the
aldermen appear TO have very little regard
for the people. IF they had, they would do
as the law requires, take a vote of the
PlOpSl " OWheIS on the SLfeelS, where they
propose to lay these pipes, and not under
the false guise of sanitary Improvement,
force this measure through against the
wish of the property owners In our small
houses where we have no water closets or
bath tubs we need no house drainage.
These houses have been free from sewer
gas in the past, and we have had no tv-
phoid, dyphtheria, or scarlet fever. Now.
our masters, the council, using a tyranni-
cal power, propose to introduce all these
evils in their midst, also by excessive open-
ing of the streets in one season to poison
our city with malaria. If they will not
listen to our appeals, they may find that
1urymen of their city will give us the pro-
lection that they unnaturally refuse
Moreover, they think it Is a small matter
to increase the debts Of an over-burdened
city when state and county taxes are all
largely increased and increasing. DO thew
not know that our city is now handicap
ped? That all the small towns in Georgia
are forging ahead of US in prosperity d?
That all investors and business men
avoid us.
Citizen" states that Mayor Myers is-
sued mayors notes in his time. Two
wrongs do not make right This does not
justify the present board in what they ac-
knowledge to be a violation Of the funda-
mental law-the constitution of Georgia
For small violation of law a man Is sent
to prison, but here IS a body of men, setting
its constituents a bad example by commit
ting crime with impunity-a want Of moral
sense. The reason they are so reckless
with other persons money Is plain. Most
Of them pay no tax themselves. We very
unwisely elected a body Of men who. in
this sense, do not represent us.
Taxnavar