The San Francisco call., 1898-01-18

Of iron pipe. What they mean Dy that is that if the people will submit to robbery of s1.S0O, 900, they will consent to retire They want us to pay $3,000,- 900 for a plant that is at liberal esti- mate not worth over s1,200,000.
 Tt is perhaps true that they would be perfectly willing to have bond election called to vote bonds to pay them this exorbitant figure for their old junk. They know. and we all know, that the people would not consent to pay any such figure for the plant. and the bond scheme would be defeated. This is what the water company wants done. They would certainly herald the result far and near as evidence of the fact that the voters of Los An geles had pronounced against munich pal ownership of a water plant.
 The truth of the matter is nine en-twentieths of the people of this community are a unit for it. and they propose to have 1t. But. at the same time, they will not consent to any proposition that consummates a cold bloOded hold-up of a million and half or more. The net income of the water company is about $500, 900 per year. They can afford to spend S200.- 900 or s300,0 900 per annum for a long period of years delaying this matter and holding off. Then their idea is that they can at an early date get a Council and Mayor who will renew their lease for a long term. This will give them another opportunity to sand bag the water consumers and accumu- late millions. The present plant is ob- viously inadequate to the wants of the 1 city. as every consumer knows. The mains are inadequate as to size and ! the system is for village and not a ! great city. One of the great desidera- ] ta to be obtained by municipal own ership is plant fully and amply ade- l quate to a city's needs.
 Tt is now a year since I actively took this matter up. I looked upon it as a part of my duty as citizen and I am going to stay with it to the end. During the past twelve months. i though, we who have been honestly striving for municipal ownership have met with many discouragements. Un- derstand. we do not desire or advocate the taking of anything from the City
 Water Company that belongs to it without giving it value for every dol
 
 the corporation, but we are not in fla
 vor of being robbed.
 "One of the great obstacles we have met with has been the combination ex-
 isting among the three daily papers
 They have all-the Times, Herald and EXpress-been as one in their policy of
 protecting the water company in this all-important controversy. They have
 refused absolutely to give any one who
 stood for the people a hearing All
 avenues of reaching the people in or
 der to inform them as to the gravity of
 the situation have been cut off The
 newspaper combine has been aIl-pow-
 erful, and any intelligent discussion of
 this question has been tabooed This
 has made 1t very difficult to keep the
 masses informed, but. now that The
 Call has taken up the matter. we are
 going to be released from the news
 paper thralldom which has held us
 down. We want The Call to give full
 justice to the Water Company's side
 of the case, and we know that it will
 But at the same time we shall expect , it to do what the syndicated daily pa pers of Los Angeles have not done that is. to keep the people informed
 as to their side of the case and to lei them know when their rights are ir } jeopardy.
 The public officials chosen at the , last municipal election were all pledged } solemnly to do everything in their pow. ? CT to effect municipal ownership. O. nine Councilmen, only two have kep their pledges. The other seven has, } equivocated and shuffied around unti the people do not know where they ' stand. Councilman Nickell as chair n man of the Water Supply Committee , has exhibited unpardonable weakness :. while Councilman Toll. as a member O that committee. has rather acted as \ special pleader for the Water Compan, , than otherwise. And so I might go ol } and enumerate.
 'T superintended the circulation O the petition asking the Council to cal } a special election to vote bonds to bull, an independent plant. I talked witt hundreds of citizens and taxpayer . then, and I know the sentiment of tn :, people. They are in deadly earnest fl ? this matter.
 . We realize that we have a har, , fight on hand, but we are enlisted fo 1" it. and we are going to stay with it t the end. Thus far we have received m ], aid, support or help of any kind O ,, character in this contest for the peopl g from the League for Better City Gov 2 ernment. We did not look for any hel, < from that organization and we hay , not been disappointed.