Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-29

every fair-minded, rejecting man in
this community does, that the council
has acted not only unwisely but UNI
fairly in the movement to undertake to
build and own water works by this
city. / do not say that they intention
ally have done so, but this is the eff
feet.
what is to become of the money the
present owners have invested in these
works? / have too much faith in the
sense of fair play and the determine
ton on the part of our citizens not TO
be classed as repudiationists, to believe
they will not give the present company
chance to make a proposition to our
city, for new charter on reorgani-
cation.
''in the early days of building wa
ter works in the city, /. n. Mast, my
then capable partner, and myself, We're
attorneys for the water works com
pany. know something OF the expense
and outlay necessary to build water
works for 0ttumwa, now a city OF
say that there is good deal of YER
dancy in the idea of a councilman who
thinks he can construct successfully
from the foundation up, new water
works for Ottumwa, now city OF
10000 people, and to be 10000 before
many years, for $240,000. He will find
that after he has started and gotten
half way through, his funds will have
been exhausted, and then litigation
against the city for unfulflled CON
tracts and damages will pile up, and
in the end it will be disgraceful fail
ure, for to carry it to completion at
least $35O,OOO to 100000 will be need
ed. Certainly our people will not
bring such a state of affairs upon our
| fair young city, burden it with large
citv debt and consequent depreciation
of property when we have already a
private corporation composed of men
whose word is out that they want the
city to meet them half way and give
them chance to show what they can
do.
"Ottumwa property is worth some
thing now, and one thing which has
held it there is its comparative freedom
from a large city Indebtedness. Let
the policy once be established, of
municipal ownership, and where will
we stop? 1t would mean municipal
ownership of a gas plant, street rail
way, telephone company, electric plant,
steam heating company, and so on.
! We would soon have a dead city with
Tits life crushed out under debt of
from one to one and half million
dollars. This would be no exaggera-
ton, under such policy, and it would
be ever increasing.
1. Governments among men were not
made for such purposes and we will
find that in nine cases out of ten the
municipal ownership has its germ in
the brain of the demagogue. do not
mean to cast any reflection upon the
i leaders of this idea in our city council
because | believe they are honest in
the motive; yet / must designate this
policy by its right name. believe in
good, well digested laws, strictly en-
forced for the protection of society
That means good laws against crime
for police regulation, laws under which
street railway companies, water works
companies, gas companies, telephone
companies, and all such may be organ.
lied md managed by private enterprise
Then let city councils and state legis
i latures see that these laws, under the
proper executive and judicial officers
are rigidly and fairly carried out
Thus the people will be better served
and there will be no enormous city
debts. We have such laws, why should
not our city council exercise Their
mental ability in striving to give oul
people the best service under them in
stead of attempting THAT will be I
most doubtful experiment.; yes fata
one?
/. Il am no alarmist, but IL our city
1 = y Z - . a. .