Evening journal., 1899-06-28
THE WATER COMMISSIONER.


It is understood that DR.. Joseph p.
Pyle is the choice Of Mayor-elect John
c. Fahey to succeed Washington Hast
ings as water commissioner. Assum-
ing that this is true, we congratulate
the new mayor on his selection. DR..
Pyle is man whose sympathies are
with the water consumers. He is a son
of State Senator John Pyle, who so
earnestly and ably championed the
Pyle water bill at Dover last Spring
and who succeeded in securing its
passage by an overwhelming majority
in the face Of the opposition Of the
powerful array of wealthy corporations
and individuals who realized that its
passage and approval would put an end
to the payment OF about 100000 Of
their general taxes by means of a
water surplus contributed wholly and
solely by the water consumers, who
We're also compelled to pay more than
their fair share OF the general tax levy.
Senator Pyle. as we have said, Sc
cured the passage of the bill. Thirteen
OF the seventeen senators voted for It;
three voted against it, and one refused
to vote either way OF the thirty-fivo
members Of the House twenty-six voted
for IT, with Representative Hunter, a
friend of the measure, absent. And in
the face of this, when it was too late tc
have his veto oyerriden, Governor
Tunnel vetoed the bill on the repre-
sentation Of this small coterie of water
surplus bene1claries who had been SC
signally defeated in the halls above.
DR.. Pyle is friendly to the interests
OF the water consumers. He is no doubt
opposed to a further continuance OF the
present system OF extorting from then
$4,000 in water rents to meet iegiti
mate departmental expenses OF froms62. /.
900 to $4,000. He is no doubt opposed
to a further continuance of a sinfu
maldiversion Of an annual water sur
plus of about 100000 from the watel
fund to the general fund. He is nj
doubt opposed to the use of the Watel
Department to grind out OF water con
sumers this large surplus annually {,
use in keeping down the general tai
rate Of the Harlan and Hollingswortl
Company, the Pusey and Jones Com
pany, the Charles Warner Company
the George w. Bush and Sons Com
pany, the jackson and Sharp Company
and all other such concerns whose rea
holdings are disproportionate 10 thei
water consumption and the rents Incl
dents thereto. He is doubtless opposei
to the small householder who paws 81
water rent having $3.50 Of that none,
turned over TO City Council and use,
for paying the taxes Of these big cor
porations; the taxes Of men who ar,
holding land vacant for speculative
purposes; and the taxes Of men VIII,
own property which consumes M
water. If he is. he is the man tn
water consumers want for the place.
When he gets on the board he viii
find himself confronted by William 7
Porter, a Democrat, and Alfred Belts
a Republican, both Of whom win STAN
should to shoulder in opposi
ton to any movement he ma
make in behalf Of the consum
ers, but let him go straight ahead, do
ing his duty as he sees Il, and in lii
tie while be viii be given a working
mate who will support him in his goo
intentions, and then the two Of ther
can clean out the public leeches in IN
department and forever put an end t
this systematic robbery OF the waite
consumers.