The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-20
NAME Mr.. PARKER
POpuIists Endorse Democratic
Nominees For City Offices.
Question Mayoralty Candidate
on Waterworks Question.
WRITES A LETTER.
Favors Free Band Concerts and
Eight Hour Law.
Mr.. Clemens Flops From Hughes
to Parker.
WRITES A LETTER.

1t looked for awhile last night like the
Populists who had assembled at Web
er's HAN to adopt city platform would
have to wait until the committee got to-
gether and drew up another draft of tie
resolutions
The following are the resolutions as
they were put to the convention:
I'VE believe the people of a city have
an inherent right to govern themselves
in all purely municipal affairs; that,
therefore. a city has a right to provide
for itself such public utilities az its own
people believe the best interests require
that the city should. as soon as practi-
cable acquire or establish and so oper-
ate all needed public utilities as to LII
tinately pay all city expenses and thus
abolish city taxes; that all constitution
al provisions and statutes that restrict
or deny the right to do these things are
contrary TO the principles on which our
government is founded. Therefore we
demand that if it be found impossible to
make satisfactory settlement with the
waterworlks company, prior to Septefn-
Der T. the date of the expiration of the
20 year franchise, the mayor and coun-
Gil at once proceed to provide, by coz
demnation or otherwise, the needed
plant and, if the state courts interfere
to prevent this, appeal be taken from
them to the people of the state, demand
ing a clear recognition of the right o.
municipal self government.
THE mayor of the city is the head Of
the executive department AS such il is
his sworn duty to execute the laws. To
admit discretionary power in an eXecE-
tive officer to nullify laws by failure 20
enforce them is to strike at the very
foundation Of Republican government
We denounce the hypocrisy of the Re
publican machine in this city on the
question Of law enforcement, and charge
Is
ton crusade to maintain its grip on the
city government
1--WE are proud of the fact that mern-
bers OF the Peoples party initiated and
carried to a successful conclusion the
fight On recent city polltaX ordinance.
I'VE demand that the eight hour law
be strictly enforced
I'VE demand a correction Of the proper
ty assessments in the city. so that large
prcperty owners and the holders Of IN
improved lots may be compelled to pay
their just proportion OF the cost of gov
eminent"
The resolutions were read by Franz
Peltret and he had hardly finished read
ing them before G. c. Clemens was on
his feet stating his objections to the
first two planks Of the platform
He said: 1T is useless to talk OF
building a city Waterworzs plant In
recent case taken to the supreme court
from .yValla Walla a decision was rem
dered in favor of the waterwor1s cora
pany 1t decided that the city would
have to buy the waterworks plant from
the company or buy their water. The
supreme court decided that q city could
not compete with the waterworks con-
pany with which it has previously had
contract.
The waterworlxs company here has
tin<ered with the law and the council
has never lifted a finger to prevent it.
The affairs have now grown SO cOmpli-
Gated that it seems almost impossible o
straighten the tangle out But there IS
a way
only last week a meeting was held
ostensibly to find a way to secure the
waterworks plant but which had really
for its object the involving Of the city
in lawsuit with the waterworls com
pany and thus allowing the matter to
slip by until after the date of the ex
piration Of the franchise and thus Civ
ing the company a new lease Of life IN
Topeka for ten or twenty years
You may appeal to the people Of the
state to recognize Topeka's right to own
the Waterworks but what do the people
Of the state amount to beside the SUI
preme court Why the supreme court is
the whole thing The nine men on that
bench are bigger than the WAole nllilOI1S
of people who form the population OF
the United States They are bigger than
almost everything, than God Almighty
The WaterwOrks company went before
the court and got temporary inJunc-
ton against the city enforcing the or
dinance regulating water rates and how
has it acted. After the temporary in |
junction was granted the judges have |
been so busy that they could never tlnd I
time to consider the proposition And /
there you are. All the appealing to the /
people of the state to recognize the I
rights Of Topeka in the affair will count 1
for nothing
our city attorney has been sadly \
negligent il this respect What we must 4
do is to act at once We should adopt I
the Boston plan.
I'VE should appoint a committee TO
consult and act with the mayor and /
city council to prevent any skulduggery
on their part.
Continuing Mr.. Clemens said: 4 am
done with Mr.. Hughes do not think
we should support him for mayor.
asked him the other day about his posi-
ton on the NaterWOrks question and
could get no satisfactory answer from
him. I am satisfied that he is not the
man we want to represent the city in
getting control Of the plant We have
been pretty good friends but when it
comes to a matter OF this kind do not
think we should let friendship stand in
he way of the interest of the city.
with Hughes out Of the question 7
3egan casting about for some one who
was on the right side of the question.
Consequently I wrote Mr.. Parker, the
Democratic nominee for mayor, on the
proposition His answer more than con-
yinces me that he IS the man We should
,ut to Mr.. Parker together with his let
er in answer.
''F'irst-Will you, as to all steps in the
matter consult and act in
harmony with a committee of citizens
{ one should be appointed by the citi-
ems mass convention to be held to-
light2
rec band concerts for the people with |
municipal compensation to any band en-