The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-01
HOW THEY LINE UP
Council Candidates Express
Themselves on Waterworks.
Only One Refuses to Tell Where
He Stands.
ELLIOTT DOESN'T KNOW
Second Ward Candidate Hasn't
Studied the Question.
Mr.. Howe Opposed to Idea but
VIII Vote For 1t.
Contest i'm the Wards Is ON i'm
Earnest.
ELLIOTT DOESN'T KNOW


With only one or two exceptions, all
of the candidates for the Republican
nomination to the city council have
placed themselves scuarely on the plat
form of city ownership of the water
works.
They have given their promise to
their constituents to secure the water
works plant for the city. They only
differ in the means which should be
adopted toward this end.
George H. Elliott, the candidate for
councilman from the Second ward. re-
fuses TO make any promises. He says
ne has not Investigated the situation,
and does not know where he will stand
samuel Il. Howe Who is the leader in
the Fifth ward contest, is a disbeliever
in municipal ownership, but says that
since the people have spoken in favor
of ownership Of the WaterworkS, he will
do all he can to secure the best results
of such a policy
John Hewitt, candidate in the Fifth,
has been out of town, and no statement
could be secured from him. He is said
to favor municipal ownership.
All the other candidates are emphatic
in their declarations. They want city
ownership, and want it now. They do
! not believe in allowing the case to
drag, as it is doing at present.
SKINNER AND MILLER ARE FIRM.
In the First ward, o. d. Skinner and
s c Miller, the opposing candidates,
told their views as follows:
Mr.. Skinner: When 1 was in the
council before, 1 took a very radical
position in this matter. 1 was in favor
of bringing the water company to terms
for the violation of their contract.
wanted the city to stop paying any
more money to the company This
would have precipitated a fight, and I
am not sure now that it would have
been the best policy. 1 am not in favor
of being held up by the water company,
but realize that We are pitted against
a Well intrenched antagonist. All over
the country the attorneys for these
companies are standing together, and
it is an exceedingly difficulty matter for
a city TO make a case against them.
But l am in favor of city ownership,
and will do everything in my power to
bring it about, if 1 should be chosen by
the people of the First ward to repre-
sent them in the city council
5. c. Miller, the present incumbent:
I always have been found fighting
against the water company. 1 can not
understand why the city legal depart
ment does not do something. The case
should not be allowed to drag as it is
doing 1 expect to introduce at the next
meeting of the council resolution ask
ing for a full explanation of how the
case stands, and why nothing is being
done"
Mr.. Miller and Mr.. Skinner are going
to have a hard fight for the First ward
nomination Miller is backed by the
women voters, and represents the anti
administration faction of the Republi-
can party. Mr.. Skinner is accused of
being in sympathy with the ice trust.
and this charge, though admitted to be
of no weight, is an effective campaign
slogan, and is injurious to him. The
Miller forces have claimed that Mr..
Skinner wants to get into the council
so that he can secure the passage of an
ordinance prohibiting the sale of nat
ural ice. Mr. Skinner says as to this:
4 have myself put up $500 tons of
natural ice, which I expect to sell in
Topeka 1t would be absurd for me to
fight natural ice. If am elected to the
council 1t Will be as representative
of the people of the First ward. not as
a representative of any company"
The Democrats are lining up in sup
port of Mr.. Miller, and will do all in
their power TO advance his chances for
nomination. They believe that if Miller
is nominated they can beat him with
a Democrat at the election. If Skinner
opposition at the election.
IN THE SECOND WARD.
Ed Halves and Geo. H. Elliott are the
opposing candidates. Mr.. Halves says:
the city waterwOrks. but am not pre-
pared to say just how this should be
done When was in the council before,
l was opposed to the plan of condemna-
ton of the waterworks plant, because I
did not believe that the city could get
possession in that way. / think that
fixing fair price, or that the city and
the water company should get together
and agree upon terms. An effort is be-
ing made to prejudice people against me
on the ground that 1 oppose city own
ership. 1 want to say that / am one of
the strongest advocates of city owner
ship, and will do everything 1 can to
push the case if elected
George H. Elliott said: IT do not care
to say anything on this matter. I have
not studied the question enough to say
where I will stand, or what 1 will be in
favor of doing"
Mr. Elliott expects to carry the pri-
maries in the Second ward through his
personal popularity. He is a well-liiSed
man in the ward, and viii make
strong pull for the Santa Fe shop vote,
as he is an old employee. He is prohi-
bitionist. and a Hughes man, and this
fact is not helping his chances in the
Second ward. The Democrats believe
that they can beat him. if nominat ted.
by placing an ayowed resubmisSionIst
in the race. There is also some opposi-
ticn to Mr.. Elliott on the ground that
his duties as yard foreman of the Santa
Fe are such that he will not have time
to attend to the interests of his con-
Elliott is Endorsed. by the women. and is
making his canvass mainly through the
women ward workers. though he is sup
ported by the law and order people.
Ed Halves will probably carry the
north precincts of the ward by a large
majority The fight will be in the Other
precincts. where Elliott win get most of
his strength. Halves is a contractor,
and has served the ward acceptably be-
fore as councilman He is a hard work
er, and is making a good campaign.
Halves is not indOrSed by any faction
of the party He is a temperance man.
and was not mixed up in the Hughes
Warner fight He says that his oppo-