Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-21
City Council Said to Have
Fully Determined on
Such a Course.
.DIsREGARDs PETITION.
Aldermen viii Pay No Attention to
the Prayer of 1000 Citizens and Will
Allow Library Election Matter to Go
to Supreme Court.

The Courier has reliable information
to the effect that the city council will,
at its meeting tonight, iansre the mon
ster petition of citizens for another
election on the library proposition,and
recommend that the decision of Judge
Eichelberger which declared the first
election invalid, be carried to the SUI
preme court for final decision. AS
everyone knows this course will re-
quire about two years for a decision,
which is nothing more or less than
death blow to the beautiful library
that Ottun1Wa can secure as free gift.
If this information be true, every
member of the city council VINO votes
for such course, and to ignore the
petition of their constituents, should
be drummed out OF office. What is the
city council? Who are its members?
Are they elected to the position of
representative of their ward for the
purpose of furthering personal inter-
ests, or venting revenge on imaginary
wrongs? Or are they elected to repre-
sent the people of their ward? What
right has the city council to ignore a
petition, signed by nearly 1000 of the
prominent citizens of the city? Are
the wishes and prayers of the citizens
of Ottumwa to be ignored by the men
they have elected to represent them
in the council?
| We think not, and those who do SO
are placing themselves on record in
this case as being against public inn
provenents, against the progress Of
the city and against the best
class of her citizens, who are anxious
to make city out of ottumwa. The
city councils attitude on this library
matter has been arbitrary and re-
vergefuI from the start. Its first move
| in refusing to endorse the mayors lisr
of trustees, has been one OF the most
deprecated pieces of business that any
city council of Ottumwa has ever gone
on record as doing. Its course, now,
| if the report above be true, will make
Ottumwa and the council of her city
the laughing stock of the country.
The best class of OttumWa's citi-
zers, those who expect to live here all
their lives, have business interests and
property here, have families and chill
1 IL
the free public library, such as is pro-
posed, are watching the councils atti-
tude on this matter very closely and if
the petition of the citizens of Ottum-
wa, for another election, is ignored or
thrust aside under the mask of wait
| ing for decision of the supreme
court, there will be day of reckoning
for each and every member of the
council who so votes, and that day is
not far away. The Courier predicts
that mass meeting of indignant citi-
zens will deal summariiy With city Of
ficials who trample on and ignore the
rights of its people, and the constitu-
ency which they are elected to repre-
sent.
The city council should by all means
4 grant the prayer of the petitioners for
another election. Granting that the
/ other election was void, and the peti-
TONERS have SO conceded because the
polls were closed an hour earlier than
the law provides, is there any reason
why this matter should be killed by be-
ing referred to the supreme court?
We think not. The council is suppos-
L RI ~ f,a H. of Ii>c i.;@ 1iL
zens, having been elected to the Of
flee to represent the city's interests
and do everything in their power for
the good OF it's people. Is the act of
throwing away gift of $4,000 to the
city for free public library going to
!, be benefit to its citizens? Is not OF
tun1wa now the laughing stock and
!, ridicuIe OF every other city in Iowa by
reason of the manner in which this
matter has SO far been carried.
Rise above politics, personal jeaI-
ousies and private interests, gentle
men. Be men, and an honor to the Of
flee you represent. What difference
does it make to you whether the libra
ny is erected on the depot site or on
some other cite? This question is
yet to be decided. Do your duty as
public spirited citizens, and then use
your influence afterwards, when the Ii
brary building has become assured, as
to the proper location for such an edi-
flee. The Courier believes that to-
nights meeting of the council marks a
crisis in the affairs of the city of OF
/ tumWa, and we earnestly hope that ev-
cry alderman in the council will cons
slider carefully from every standpoint
before he votes to trampIe on and la.
more the rights Of the people by thrust
: ing aside their petition, under mask
that is SO flimsy as to be seen thru al
once.