Arizona republican., 1899-10-28

The popular movement for an cleo
ton to decide whether the city shall
issue bonds for the con-
WILL BE struction of modern
NOCOMPRO- water and sewer system
MISE. is a movement which
the recalcitrant mem
bers of the city council cannot afford
TO ignore. In taking a silent and null
ssh stand against the will of their con-
stituents they confess by such action
that they are unable to advance any
valid reason for refusing to call the
election, and they deceive nobody but
themselves. The people of Phoenix
are intelligent and are at no loss in
recognizing the considerations which
influence these men to whom the pub
lie interests in a misguided moment
were confded. These considerations
and influences are as patent as if they
had Peen made of record in a formal
plees of guilty in a criminal court.
The situation is quite simple. The
issue cannot be confused. The ques-
ton to be decided now is not whether
the city shall issue bonds for any pur-
pose, but whether the citizens of this
town shall be allowed to express their
verdict, whatever it may be-
The obscure men who have temper
airy control were elected to perform
certain functions. Had they sufficient
intelligence to formulate an argument
they could not advance one excuse for
refusing to call the election. The peo-
pie of Phoenix are not the wards of
these men. and need no guardians.
They are abundantly able to protect
their interests, at the polls or else
where. What the people want is an
opportunity to decide for themselves
what thev shall do
The attempt of these officers to set
themselves in judgment over against
the business interests and combined
wisdom represented by the mass meet
ing would be nothing more than redic-
ulous if it did not have a grimIy tragic
side to it. But there is a tragic side
to the picture which would become
only too obtrusive, could these officials
have their way. Were the council able
to prevent the installation of a sewer
system, the result would be marked
IN years to come by a mortality which
could not fail to be appalling The
history of every town given over for
term of years to a system of cess
pools has been continuous history of
epidemics of typhoid fever and diphthe-
ria. The position of Phoenix is most
analogous to the cities on Long Island.
New York. where the country is fiat
and discouraging to sewerage engi-
neers. In many of the Long Island
towns, the residents, rather than I'M
dergo what they considered the f1nan-
cial burden of a sewer system, have
resorted to cesspools as the easiest So
luton of the problem. AS the years
went by they sank their wells deeper |
and deeper, in the hope of escaping
the already polluted water of the upper
strata. but they have found at last
that their wells whether private or
operated by water works companies, |
have been poisoned by the cesspool |
drainage until it is a constant battle /
with epidemic diseases of the worst
sort, and it has been found that ade-
quate sewers, however costly. afford !
the only relief Indeed this is but |
common experience, modified by the /
particular drainage situation Of the
town, of all places which have attemp- |
ted TO find relief in cesspooIs. The peo- /
pie of Phoenix understand this, and I
they will not submit to having this city !
made the breeding place Oft disease.
Phoenix will have a sewer system. !
and it proposes to have with it a
water system which will not bankrupt .
the public in operating the sewers /
The council may as well make up it's
mind that there will be no. .'compro- /
mise