The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-19
TO THE PRIZE
The Republicans in a Great Con-
tortion Act.
THE WATER WORKS ISSUE
After Opposing City Ownership They
Now Make q Demand for Lower
Rates-Some Queer Phases
of Their Position.

Great Falls, March 1S-For mounte-
banks and contortionists the republic
cans of this city are certainly entitled
to the prize. One would think that they
had done enough in this line last fall
when they doubled and twisted every
principle which they dared to bring into
light into shapes to suit the individual
preference of each voter in the state.
Their platform and the policy or poll
cies outlined by their speakers and
leaders reminded one strongly of the
magician's bottle-any drink one might
ask for was forthcoming and all from
the same bottle. But the portion of the
party which is included by the city
limits is trying to Guido the antics of
last October and November. They have
taken up the water works ISSUE Two
years ago when the people of this city
demanded possession of this great nat
ural monopoly the republican party
was strangely silent. If it believed that
the city should own it's supply of water
it did not say so. In fact 1t behaved as
if the less said about the water works
the better.
Now it is a case of How me and
Betty killed the bar The democrats,
with the assistance of the populists
(for it is but fair to give the latter
party its share of the credit, made
long, weary, bitter fight, which ended
in city ownership of the water plant.
That fight was made and successfully
made in the face of the most extreme
obstacles, but it was a good fight and
one of which the democratic party has
just cause to feel proud. But the re-
publicans catch the point too late and
at this hour come out as the champions
of the people. Without giving any fig
ureS as to the cost of maintenance of
the plant or of its future needs; of i'm
proVementS that are necessary at al
most the present time: of extensions
which are being called for now and for
extensions which must be made later,
they have the assurance to come for
ward with plea for lower rates to
consumers. 1t is promised as univer
sal panacea. 1t will cut down doctors
and lawyers bills, the plumbers, too:
raise the price of real estate and i'm
prove the Missouri river and the eli
mate. There is no end to what this re-
duction will do for Montana.
Unfortunately for this gymnastic ex-
ercise of the republicans. the demo-
Gratis and populists in the council have
already made the reduction. Any fur
ther cut in the rates al the present time
would result very much like the repuD-
lican scheme for the purchasing of pub
lie parks a few years ago. Public parks
are a necessity for people of large cities
as breathing spaces: Great Falls is o
be an immensely large city: ergo, Great
Falls must have public parks Great
Falls got them; it has them to-day,
great empty fields of sand, inaccessi-
BILE, utterly useless to the people. But
there are bonds outstanding in pay
ment for these parks bonds on which
the council each year has to make APP
preparation for the interest and the
people have to pay the freight along
about tax time. But the republicans
said the people needed parks and the
republicans bought the parks for the
dear people and there they are. Now,
these same republicans claim that the
people need another cut in the water
rate. They do not care if in conse-
Quence the taxes are more than doubled
SO long as they succeed in temporarily
fooling the people, who in the end have
to foot the bill. Their next move will
be to declare that the republicans real
ly obtained the plant for the citizens.
Another queer phase to the republic
can position is claim recently made
that national politics has nothing to do
with a city election. This is probably
true and but another instance of the