The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-10-28
The Most Important Contri-
button Yet Made to the
Discussion of this vitality
Important Subject
Read Without Fail.
Mr.. ATWOOD'S SPEECH
Is a Very Good Speech of a
Very Bad Kind, But 1t
Didn't Do any Harm
Other Matters That
Will Interest You.

Whether or not the city of lola shall
incur debt amounting, principal and
interest, to SSS 900 for the purchase of
the gas plant, is question of such
paramount Importance that it ought
to receive the widest possible discus
sion and best informed and most can
did judgment Of which; the people are
capable. The progress and prosperity
of the city for many years to come is
tied up in this question, and every
good citizen should consider himself
as much bound to pass upon it fairly
and without bias or prejudice as he
would be bound by oath to do If he
were sitting on jury.
While the editorial position of the
REGISTER has been unequivocally
against the bonds, II has never tried
to smother opinion on the other side.
1t has always offered, and it renews
the offer now, to print any commune
cation from any citizen on any side Of
this question without any charge
whatever.
Believing that the opinion of repre-
sentative business and professional
men on this question would be read
with interest, REGISTER reporter
spent few hours Wednesday in inter-
viewing them and the results are CIV
en- below. The question asked was
simply this: "What lie your opinion
on the gas question:" And the fol-
lowing answers are certainly signifi.
cant:
W. j. Evans: belive that the gas
plant, IL owned by the city, would be
used as foot bali at every election
and that its purchase by the city
would be one of the greatest possible
calamities.
W. A. COWaH: II city ownership
prevails the taxpayers will have the
bonds to pay. We must have water
works soon, and we can't get them ON
top OF the success of n proposition for
city ownership OF the gas plant.
W. II. Ricketts,: We have the gas,
now, and can continue to have il at
its present price without voting
bonds. Let us have water works in
stead.
9. &. AuShermaH: Bonds make high
taxes and, consequently, high rents
and the poor man (the renter pays
the bill.
II. Khunwm am willing that
voters should exercise their individual
preferences in this matter.
A. W. Beck: The city ought to
own It's water works. It would give
employment to labor aud protection
TO property. With city ownership
we can nothave water works soon.
James Taylor The meaning of city
ownership is placing tax on the tax
payers without any additional advan.
tages to them.
L. G. Beatty; In the face OF the
proposition OF the gas company to
furnish us and the city with fuel so
cheap am opposed to city ownership.
w. l.. Barties: Leave the bars
down as wide as possible for the
occasion when we must vote bonds
tor a more important purpose.
q. A. BOWiuS: l do not believe the
gas plant will ever be managed as
well as 1t is now. 1 am getting gas
as cheap as 1t can he furnished.
H. A. Ewing; This town Is paying
interest on over 100000 of interest
bearing Indebtedness being u personal
Indebtedness of S25 to each one of our
present population.
@. 4. Savage: People are receiving