People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-03-17
Municipal Ownership.
Daily Journal.

wishes TO urge upon the voters of
wellington the necessity at this time
IOr taking some steps toward munich
pal ownership Of the water and light
plants. 1t is question in which poi
lticS should cut no figure; the inter
ests of the city and the welfare of the
community are at stake. In fifteen
months from the spring election the
gas franchise will expire, and four
months later the city will beconfront.
ed with the water question. To settle
either and both Of these questions
will require great deal Of leyelhead.
edness and fOrethought on the part of
the council.
1t will require months Of close
calculation and study to meet the
conditions that will arise at that time
and adjust matters to the best adj
vantage OF the city. The municipal
ownership of water and light plants
Is movement which has successfully
carried IN several Of the important
cities 10 Kansas, as well as through
out the United States. lola has re-
Gently voted bonds for municipal
ownership by an overwhelming MI iOr-
ity. Newton has voted on the propo-
sltiOn of building and maintaining a
city system of light, heat and water
"orks. Out of 1888 votes cast at a
special election held for that purpose.
1855 were in favor of voting Sl5, 900 for
/ putting in a municipal light and heat
ing system, ard $40 votes cast we're
10 favor Of the municipal ownership
OF the waLerworks sytem. Topeka is
now considering the question Of mu-
nlclpal ownership Of its waterWOrks
plant, and the movement has reached
the stage where petitions are being
circulated asking that special cleo
tion be called to vote on the question.
Wichita is also taking steps toward
the city ownership of its light and
water systems.
If Wellington ever intends to own
her light and water plants, now
Is the time to begin figuring on the
situation and prepare for the crisis
that is sure TO come. If the city sits
idly by aud allows either the gas fran
chlse or water contract to expire
without preparing herself 20 meet
the contingencies, the taxpayers will
pay dearly for it. We believe an
overwhelming majority of the people
are in favor Of municipal ownership
of these plants, and believe the first
step toward securing city ownership
should be taken at the coming cleo
tiOn. The Journal would like to see
/ the Republican convention which is
lCalled Tor the 24th inst, declare out
right In favor Of the question, and
make that an issue. The welfare of
the city should be paramount to the
interests Of any set or clique of poll
tlclanS, aud the MASS Of the Republi-
can voters should dominate in this
instance and SEE that the party
pledges itself tU work for city owner.
ship of The water and light plants.
The question Of whether or not the
city shall have municipal ownership
rests largely with The Republicans.
who are in majority in the city and
are the Only parry OF faction who have
manifested any intention of putting "A
ticket in the field. 1t is a well known
fact that the Republican papers in
the city are Strenuously opposed to
any movement calculated to wrest
either 0; these corporations from their
hold on the taxpayers, but they Go
not reflect the sentiment of the Re-
publican voters or the municipality al
large. 81 it depends upon the masses
Of Republicans 10 the convention to
be held in two weeks whether the
city will take steps TO meet The
Coming ciisiS or sit Supinely by and
allow the city to remain dependent
upon the uercieS Of foreign corpora
tiOnS.
1t behoO14s the city to weigh these
important questions and take immed-
late actinu. To secure municipal
ownership will require work to be be-
gun toward that END at once. The
candidates for the council should
! pledge themselves to strive for that
J end and The next city council should
immediately set about figuring on the
feasibility Of plans and the probable
cost of erecting new plants or con-
demning lie old ones now owned by
cOrpOratloaS. The water and gus
companies will have no claim what.
ever GU Tile city and it will be ques-
tiOn with Wellington whether or MOI
she wishes TO pay exorbitant rates for
inferior iglt and deficient water SER
vice or o"n her plants and fur
nish good light and pure water to the