The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-02-16
THE NEW BOND PROPOSITION.

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be chargeable to the lights, Upon this
showing, it was agreed that it would
be better to divide the question and
ask the people to vote OH the two
propositions separately. Petitions
were accordingly circulated so word
ed as to convey the idea that when
the election was held one might vote
for the water-works and against the
lights, or vice versa. Those petitions
were numerously signed by many
who would not have signed petition
calling for an election at which the
elector must either vote for both water
and lights, or against both.
Monday another meeting was
held at the court house, and it was de-
cided that the people should not be
allowed a division ofthe question, but
that the two propositions should be
tied up together and the peop,e COM
PEELED to either vote for or against
both.
The REGISTER cannot help thinking
this was mistake. And it is hard TO
see the purpose of it. There are un-
doubtedly many Taxpayers who
think we ought to have water-works,
who think we cannot now afford cleo
trio lights. Why should not these
people be allowed to express their
preference at the polls? Why should
they be compelled to vote against
water-works, which they do want,
in order to defeat lights which they
do not want?
We understand that figures were
presented to the meeting last Monday
which made it appear that the esti-
mates heretofore made as to the cost
Of operating light plant were so far
wrong that instead Of costing $4,000 Q
year the plant would actually bring
the city revenue. And on Tuesday
with that unfairness which has al
ways characterized the treatment ac-
corded this paper by some people, it
was being charged that "the
REGISTERS figures we're away off,"
and that this paper deliberately mis-
led the people. The facts are, as
everybody knows who attended the
meeting Friday night, that the figures
prin nted in this paper were Cap
Waite's figures and not the REGIS
TER's. We simply took the estimate
which the man made who had been
hired by the city to make it. If that
estimate was a hundred per cent Off,
as is now claimed, Capt. Waite and
not the REGISTER is TO blame for it,.
The REGISTER is advised that the
real reason for tying up these propo-
sitions instead of allowing each to
stand ON its own merits, is the idea
that by so doing, the Gas Company
will be spited. 1t appears that some
one who, judging others by himself
could not conceive of any human be-
ing holding an opinion that was not
based directly on self-interest, started
the cry that the REGISTER was OPP
posing an electric light plant because
it would be a detrimeut to the Gas
Company, and orders were thereupon
Immediately issued that the electric
light proposition must be tied up with
the water proposition so that the lat
ter would carry the former through!
OF course that is all mOOnshino. The
Gas Company does not want to sell
the city gas for street lights. 1t
proved that by keeping a standing
proposition before the city council for
nearly two years, offering to furnish
the city with all the gas it
needed for lighting sand heat
ing purposes absolutely free.
The only reasonythe Gas Company
is not bound by contract to supply the
city free for all time to come with all
the gas required for lights or stoves is
because the council has not seen fit to
accept proposition which the Com
pany voluntarily made and left stand
ing for two years. 1t is silly, there
fore, to argue that the Gas Company
does not want an electric plant for
fear it might Interfere with the sale
of gas. That question never once
occurred to the REGISTER when the
Waite proposition was under con-
sideration. Supposing that a man
who had been employed by the city
0ovprn ment to Dreeent plans and esti
mates for great public works must
know somewhere snear what ne ie
talking about, we simply thought
and said that $4,000 was too much to
pay for the luxury of electric lights.
If Capt. Waite's figures are wrong, it
would be perfectly competent to point
out the error after the election on the
two separate propositions had been