El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-15
Our Noble Legislators Iet
S. H. Newman Stand
Them Off.
A PALTRY FIVE HUNDRED
Was the Best the Great City Of Fl
paso, Through Its Official Rep
resentatlves. Could Do For the
Great ConventIon.-The Citizens
Will Take Hold Now and Make
the Thing 60, As They Ought to
Have Done at First.

lest mig hit there were present commit
tees from the school board, the Wo-
mans club, and the chamber of COM
merce for the purpose OF asking an ap-
propriat ton from that body to entertain
the teachers convention. Alderman
Whitmore fought the appropriation and
said he WAS against the idea of the city
giving any help towards entertaining
She teachers At the coming convention.
Only $500 was finally appropriated.
Towards the close OF the meeting
the FL Paso Mine, Mil and Smelter
Supply company asked permission OF
the council TO make an electrical dis.
play in the plaza during the teachers
convention. The permission was
granted under the condition that NO
damage should result to the trees or
shrubbery.
After the granting of this petition g.
b. Newman asked what had become
of . communication he had placed In
the hands of the clerk. The clerk pro-
duced the communication, and explain
ed that IL had no regular form since II
referred to q matter which was not and
had not been before the council. The
communication warned the council
that in case money were appropriated
for entertainment purposes he and
others would begin proceedings in the
courts to enjoin theacity.
Judge Harper OF the ways and
means committee then talked strongly
In favor of the money being granted.
He called attention to the fact that
other cities make promises by the
score and fulfil them too, In order to
obtain such conventions, and that there
was good precedent for the appropria-
ton.
Alderman Whitmore asked the city
attorney to give his opinion as to
whether the CITY could legally make
such appropriation. The city attOr.
ney said that this city had no legal
right to mako . general appropriation
for entertainment. he also said that
in his answer he was simply doing his
duty as city attorney and the answer
he WAS compelled to give Was not to his
liking. He was In favor OF the city
making such appropriation but his
wishes In the matter could not affect
his answer.
Judge Harper then presented q way
In which the legal difficulties of the
case might be evaded and the appro-
pristion made. He said that II the
council had no legal right to give
money for the entertsin mens OF Visit
ors they certainly had the right to
light the city in any manner they
should choose and he suggested that
the money be appropriated for that
purpose, and it would be strictly In
the letter of the law. Other amounts
might be devoted to other entirely
legitimate purposes.
Mayor Msgofin said that while he
was in favor of making such an appro-
priation, 1t being the duty OF the city
to entertain its guests, he did not
think 1t wise on the part OF the city to
give any suoh amount as that asked
by Judge Harper, and he did not
think 1t q good plan to stretch the
law too far in q case of this kind as the
opponents of the plan would certainly
make trouble if a chance we're left
open. He said he would favor an sp-
preparation for lighting the plaza II 1t
could be successfully carried out
Alderman Whitmo-e said that
In his opinion tho chamber OF
commerce had taken the matter
In hsnd some time ago snd SOW 1t the |
last minute 1t had fonnd itself unequal
70 the tack and wished to shoulder tho |
slbiIity of the failure on the |
He referred to the chamber |
of commerce 90 having "a elephant
ON Its hands which they were too |
ready to release. The visitors in gen
ersl could take care Of Themselves,
said he.
AldermanOgdea moved that the city |
$500 for lighting the |
was seconded by Mr.. Badger who said
that he was sorry the city could not
more toward the cause.
On roll call it was found that Whit
more was the only opponent OF the con-
ventiop.
The council then sdjourned.