New-York tribune., 1900-01-27

any other college In the world. we have no kick
coming and we believe that the water
are-it'
The Rev. Thomas r. slicer the next
speaker, and his subject was Good Citizen
ship"
Good Citizenship he said is the highest
duty of man. 1 cannot understand why a man
should put religion before this. The church is
a mere sequent out Of the great wheel of So
ciety, and. although 1 minister, say that
citizenship is the highest function"
Mr.. Coler came into the room at this point
and Mr. Slicer gracefully provided outlet for
the applause which every one wished to give the
Controller, but which was restrained out OF
courtesy to the speaker, by referring to the
latter as a singular example of a man who un-
dersands his duty and does it we'll" The ap-
piause which greeted this tribute to Mr.. Coler
was loud and long continued
In closing. Mr.. Slicer referred to the man who
does not bother to register or vote and is in the
best sense not citizen, in such scathing and
original terms that his hearers cIapped with de-
light and hailed with laughter each new sally
rms man is like sponge" said the speaker
in that he saturates every opportunity He
lives for his business; ne lives to make living
and has time for nothing else. He declares divi-
dends even out of his fears, and he draws on
the very bonds that bind him. He is like the
shelless crab which is the most pitiful object
In nature. He sits between high and low tide,
pulpy and helpless, ready to be gobbled up by
the first hungry animal that comes along. He is
like the beetle which you find on rock or the
bark of tree In the spring, which wanders
fool1shIy about and does not even know that the
split in its back let out winged thing"
COLER ON FRANCHISES.
Mr. Slicer was heartily applauded and the
chairman then introduced Controller Bird S.
Coler to speak Municipal Government" The
Controller received outburst af applause
which lasted several minutes and was taken
part in by every man in the room He said in
part:
Without being an alarnlist, wish to say that the
CITY c or ssrte1 Its aes e as b the & es
the policy of giving away public rights to private
Be m the 6a
one private concern whose oily light & &hyPPo{zs IL amy
in contacts State city or NatIonal NJ v,r, .b.
highest of any city in the worlds largely based,
strange as it may seem, upon municipal ownership,
system of waterworks and. one-third of our docks.
Sinking Fund amounts to about 81, 100000. To my
mind the city should d. retain as Its own properly
that when the others expire that contain options
made than those which exist at present Gentle
men, it is not alone the labor element but con-
cerned in the way in which most corporations that
history of city iE regard to such concerns has
been of litigation and compromise. For my
5ey meet the city 90 ana g4u state 70 on fair groTnd
serious trouble will when our citizens realize
greed Instead of a conservative readjustment
future, the populsce in mad fury will some time
attack even our vested rights;
You readily the city is fought
hard in its collection of franchise and rentals
Every 100000 that railroad or gas company can
on So 600 900 of watered stock but means to
the city That amount mount would pay the interest at
enough for sinking fund that would retire them
The city Of New-York is a corporation and 1t is
the duty of its officers to administer its affairs for
odes G9 TRe Fnanee BSpaTment E is makng
attempt to the policy of the past. This
tG tetting go Of public rghtsothis policy the most
recent and most audacious example of which was
the attempt to turn to private company the
water supply of the city. But in order to find a
must "a also nd Way to % o6 @ @
by ourselves 1 believe that our bonded indebted
consisting of bonds issued to acquire property and
% sqe4 oT as 6Rd are no bure po
the taxpayers. and the other for such permanent
improvements that bring in no revenue, but which
and and the the like e9'e'''N'' '''' % ''ON-o
WOULD HAVE CITY BUY WATERFRONT.
can do by getting the reports of the National
! Municipal League. believe "a system can be de-
entire water front that we do not now own for
aRG at the time P not f take dollar from the
people by taxation. As soon the rapid transit
Ghares stewart % Smith viii BRING this Question be-
| fore the Chamber of Commerce, and 1 believe they
ershp of these vast properties that viii not only
be acceptable 10 the people, but also receive the
ment world.