The Advocate and news., 1898-11-09
Topeka FaVOrS
City Ownership.
Will Have a Referendum Vote Next
Week to Decide on Establishing
City WaterwOrkS.
CITIZENS FAVOR THE CHANGE.

Yate corporation TO the city ltsen IN Lne
ownership Of the city's water supply. An
election has been called for November IL
for special election to vote bonds either
to purchase the present plant from the
New Jersey corporation which owns 1t or
to erect and establish new plant and
system. Topeka is very conservative
town, but the sentiment Of the city seems
to be strongly in favor Of extending mu-
nicipal ownership.
The Commercial club, comprising the
leading business men of the city, has
gone on record as being decidedly in ia
vor Of the change. A committee appoint
ed to investigate the matter made a
strong favorable report showing the ad-
vantages from municipal ownership At
a meeting last week vote was taken on
the question and only one member voted
against city ownership. The discussion
on the question brought out some argu-
ments Of general interest, and the fol-
lowing report Of the proceedings, made
by the Topeka State Journal, is therefore
given:
"The business men OF Topeka last
night put themselves on record as in
favor of the municipal ownership Of wa
terworks by adopting resolution favor"
ing the authorization OF bond issue for
such purpose.
"The meeting last night was under the
auspices of the Topeka Commercial club
and was for the particular purpose Of
discussing the waterworks proposition
A number Of business men who are not
members Of the Commercial club were
present, as well as large representation
of the club
rs. II. Downs, chairman of the COM
mittee appointed to investigate the mu-
nicipal ownership situation, read sup
Elemental report at the opening Of the
meeting substantiating the report made
by the committee week ago. He was
followed by Mr.. Hinckley, who at the
close Of his remarks offered the resO-
luton placing the business men on record
as favOring the authorization Of bond
issue and the acquisition OF the present
plant. Mr.. HinCkley said
cit is gratifying to notice that the
deeper our committee digs into this mat
ter the more arguments they find which
are favorable to municipal ownership.
AT the last meeting Of this club Mr.. Joab
Mulvane, posing as taxpayer and only
as such, censured the city council for pre-
cipitating the bond proposition upon us
at this time. The council has naturally
become exasperated by the endless litiga
tlOn with the water company, and have
asked the voters to authorize a bond Is
sue not exceeding $4,000. The council
does not ask the people to direct bond
issue of that amount or Of any amount,
but simply asks that the people put the
council in such position that the city,
rather than the water company, shall be
master Of the situation. This election
will not issue bonds nor precipitate
debt upon us. We are simply to say to
the council 1--WE are ready for munich
pal ownership; issue the bonds when you
need them" The idea Of the city build |
ing an entirely new plant must be ocn-
sidered only as bluff. II attempted the |
city would be enjoined. AS l said a
week ago, there will be no construction |
OF new works unless the council should
be forced by the water company to that
extremity, and fail to see how such an
emergency could arise, for both the or
dinance contract Of 1881 and the water
works law Of 1897 provide that existing
water plants may be acquired and that
II the city and company cannot agree as
to price the District court shall settle
the matter. However, the council has
evidently attempted to provide for any
emergency that may arise. have no
patience with people who intimate that
this action Of the council indicates job
berry. If the city council does not com.
mand our confidence to such an extent
that we are willing to put them in con-
troll of the situation, unhampered, or II
our District court cannot be depended
upon to establish the fair and equitable
value az the waterWorka ~ called Ilnnn