Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-04-22
MAYORS ADDRESS.
To THE COUNCIL:

10 THE COUNCIL:
In compliance with the statute which
requires that the Mayor shall, at the
first regular meeting OF the Council il
April of each year, IN ike such recon-
mendations TO the Council as To- him
shall seem proper. offer few sugges-
tions and in so doing | wish to quote
from my message to the Council in 1896
as setting forth the thought l wish to
impress upon you. I'm all govern.
ments from the highest 10 the lowest
the legislative branch is the most I'm.
requiring the highest degree of intelli-
gence, the soundest and most mature
judgment and the purest of motives in
the discharge Of their official functions.
1t is that branch of all governments
which sets in motion those forces which
practically make or unmake the people
OF any municipality, state or nation,
and which materially affect their most
| vital interests" And l may add that
! the obligation o. your oaths require
> that you have TO other gods before the
village; that in the consideration Of
any and all measures involving inter-
ests that nr" IN conflict with. or antag-
onistic to the interests of the village,
it is your duty to remain first, last and
/ all the time on the side of the village,
even if that course rewards an enemy
or Furnishes friend. The guiding star
of YOUR Legislative conduct should be
First, does or will the measure con-
serve the interests of the village at
large?
Second. does the measure convey or
grant an interest or advantage adverse
to that of our people?
Third, is there compensating ad
vantage to the people for the loss Of
,heir former rights or advantages
which they now surrender
II the first and third elements are
lacSing, it will be your duty to defeat
The measure. Any other position as
aumed by you will he violation of your
trust as sworn servants Of the people.
The vexed questions of street light
ing, street improvement, sewerage and
waterworks will probably come before
you for consideration. While any or
all of those measures are desirable,
would recomm md that you proceed
carefully and considerably, and before
flking final action on any of those
measures, that you submit the PROPOSE
tions to an informal vote of the people
for their ratification or rejection.
You may also be asked for another
franchise for an electric railway
through the village, and In this con-
nection l wish to agare quote from my
message OF '96: "As those franchises
are in strict derogaton of the general
rights OF our citizens to the use of our
streets. and ii valuable species of prop
erty To their owners, you cannot be too
cautious in the exercise of your powers
in surrenderint, the rights OF our cIti-
zens TO the advantage and profit OF
others; and our citizens have the right
to expect ample compensating priyi-
eges and advantages"
Iii granting these franchises it is
well FOR us to remember the good old
story told in our nursery tales of the
genii and the bottle. 1t is very easy
matter to uncork the bottle and let the
genii out. but when once the genii Is
let out, it is practically impossible II
get it back into the bottle again"
I'VE do not wish to be understood as
being hostile to these enterprises, ant
we further acknowledge our apprecia
ton of the advantages we derive from
haying them in our midst; but at the
same time we are not prepared to admit
that the motive for the construction o
these roads is pure and unalIoyed phil
anthropy. We have had some expert
ence In this line. and from that exOeri
ence we are made little suspicious
From that experience also, we have OF.
served with feelings not strictly akir
to pleasure, that the direct benefciariel
OF these valuable grants, have collected
fares from our people with a prompt
tude and fullness commensurate will
their full powers of absorption. From
that experience also, we are led to The
appreciation OF the fact that we nov
haye on hand several unfulflled cove
nants which are aging rapidly; anc
quite UNLIKE some other merchandise
which is usually in good demand, they
do not improve with age. And now
before our citlzen- are compelled tC
accept any more covenants for FUTURE
ful6llment, let US have strict compli
ance with and tulfllment OF those which
we now have on hand"
The above was true when 1t was writ