The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-31
CAMPAIGN ON NEXT WEEK
MIR. HARDING WILL START 1T AT
FULL BLAST IN THE FIRST WARD.
Return of the Republican Candidate
from His Outing-W. III. Cooper on
the COuncfImanic Ticket.

w. N. Harding has returned from his
brief outing at Waukesha. with his family
and will open the municipal campaign early
next week with speech in the First ward,
the time and place yet to be arranged by
the Republican city committee. He re-
turned In excellent health and spirits
We shall not open the speaking cam
paign until next week." said Mr.. Harding
last evening. 1T would hardly be fair for
me to take the stump until Mr.. Taggart
returns, as presume he Will want to begin
speaking about the same time. l expect to
occupy my time very thoroughly after we
get started in talking to the voters and
shall speak at least once in each ward.
There are plenty of things to talk about
and think about. 1t was not many years
ago that the American people began to
think seriously about the way their cities
were governed, but when they did awake
10 the Importance of municipal government,
they became very much alive to the SUBJ
ject and they have since done a great deal
of thinking and accomplished much. First
came the matter of improving the streets
and building sewers, and the past decade
has seen great progress in these things.
We have learned how to do them and the
people have learned the value of public i'm
provements, when wisely made.
Now the attention of the people is alb
sorbed In fully as important municipal
problem, that of franchises for public serv-
Ice. We are just beginning to learn that
these franchises, most Of which are of large
value originally belong to the people and
that the people should have the benefit of
their ownership in the way of cheaper and
better service. The battle for cheaper car
fares will not end until the people have
fares at the cheapest rate that will admit
of good service, the fight for cheaper gas
VIII not be abandoned until gas is sold near
enough to the cost of manufacture to af-
FORD the company a reasonable profit and
no more, and in time we shall have cheaper
telephone service and water rates that are
reasonable. All these are things that the pee
pie will have in time, If their interests are
guarded intelligently and honestly.
Their success in this battle against quasi
public corporations that do not want to let
go of good thing depends much upon the
sagac1ty and integrity of their municipal
government. 1t is not a difficult matter to
pass laws and ordinances declaring the
rights of the people and saying that things
shall be so and so; the rub comes in trying
to enforce these things. The corporation
goes about it in businesslike way, en-
ploys the best attorneys in the United
States and we are confronted by mass
of litigation. We TO to the courtroom and
find these eminent attorneys fighting with
all the skill and intelligence at their COM
mand. and we find the aty's bat
tie being fought by whom? BY
city attorney y for political t Sp reasons
and by men who have been employed as
special counsel for political reasons. | mean
70 cast no aSperSionS upon their ability
lawyers in their own particular lines of
law. simply mean that when the city has
an equity case to fight, it should be repre-
scented by the best equity lawyer it can
get, not by jury advocate, whose appoint
ment is a return for political service and
whose eloquence is entirely lost upon a fed
eral judge. The people want to first de-
termine what their just rights are in these
franchise matters and then they want
those rights obtained through the inteln-
g g ana integrity OF their public servants.
They do not want any dickering or dodg-
ing or Sinking of duty; any business of per-
hitting litigation to smolder or of shutting
out competition, which is usually more eff
fective in producing good service and cheap
rates than laws and ordinances,
The question of good business economy
and honest handling of the peoples money
Is not new problem in municipal govern
ment, but it is an ever present one. 1t is
not lack of intelligence that causes the
present administration to practically throw
away $4,000 of the peoples money in scrap
ing some of the outlying dirt streets at the
close of the dog days. 1t is lack of moral
hbre that permits some people to use pub
lie funds for Quas-private or party pur-
poses. These things and many more are fe-
Ultimate subjects of discussion when we
are about to determine who is to conduct
our municipal affairs for two years, and
unless l mistake the temper of the people
they know what they want and have very
distinct ideas of how to get it. l have
never for a moment doubted our success
In this campaign and feel more confident
now than ever
Have you heard that c. F. Smith was
talking of running on an independent tick
ETY. was asked.
mo, L had not heard it, but it is the
great American privilege of any man to
run for any office he may desire"