Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-25

ton of every citizen in Plymouth
on their position in the letting of
the electric light contract. They
believe in doing Plymouth business
on the Plymouth plan rather than
the Chicago plan. They believe
that every bidder should be treated
exactly alike, and that if it is to the
benefit of the city to jew down one
bidder, the chances are the city will
be much more the winner if the
same jewing tactics are practiced
upon all the bidders.
If the majority of the council ig
nores the sealed bid arrangement,
why exclude all competition and
beg for concessions from a single
bidder? The majority should know
that concessions of importance come
when there is competition to force
those concessions; petitions without
this power to enforce avail little if
anything. Aldermen Kuhn, Har-
ris and Reynolds oppose the major
ity because the majority seems de-
termined to contract at a price in
advance of what would be the out
come, if our fellow-townsmen were
given an equal opportunity with the
oily-tongued stranger from Chicago.
Why is it that the mayor and his
stand-bys are determined to contract
with an outsider? Do they want
the profits of the business to circu-
late in Chicago in preference to
Plymouth: Do they want the four
or five families who get their sup
port from the electric plant at pres
ent and who spend their money with
home merchants, thrown out of en-
ployment, their places to be taken
by unmarried men who with fresh
diplomas come and labor on small
salaries? They may say their is no
ground for such conclusions, but
there is. Invariably, this is the way
foreigners manipulate things. They
have no interest in the city. They
care nothing whether their en-
plovees receive salaries sufficient to
benefit the city, or not. Their in
terests are elsewhere. Why should
the majority discriminate in favor of
a foreign man? If there is to be a
discrimination our home men should
be favored. But they are not ask
ing any advantage. All they want
is equal treatment with the foreign
bidder. If the majority wants to
be honest, they will go to Mr. e.
Simons and Mr.. EVERY and say to
them-"We have permitted the
Chicago man to change his bid !;
now we come to you, what are you
willing to do?" Such procedure
would not only have been fair and
just to the bidders but it would
doubtless have brought concessions
more favorable to the city than the
Chicago man proposes.
The Independent regrets it, if any
of the majority of the council take
offense at any thing which it says
relative to the proposed contract,
but it realizes that it has a duty to
perform that is paramount to the
wishes of any individual.
1t dislikes to deal with mistaken
opinions in an official, yet the pub
lie has a right to know the true con-
dition of affairs, and if that official
cannot determine best for the citv's
good, public sentiment can raise her
strong right arm and command. An
official who SCOTS at public senti-
ment, brands himself traitor and
invites his own condemnation. If
public sentiment commands stub
born council, that council which is
but the hired executors of the peO-
pie, must yield, or wear forever the
brand of dishonesty. The indie
pendent believes it to be duty to
put forth all the facts as nearly as
possible, that the people may know
exactly the plane upon which the
officials are acting.