The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-26
WHAT WILL PARKER DO P

~ Al ~ ILL LIZ
The mayor has criticised some Of the
members of the council for not having
enough backbone to vote according to
their convictions on the Vinewood park
franchise. Now the problem is up to
him. We viii see whether he has cour-
age enough to veto the ordinance"
This remark was made to represen-
tative of the State Journal by one of the
members of the city council who voted
for the VinewOod ordinance in spite of
the fact that he thoroughly disliked it.
Perhaps the members Of the council who
were criticised for their lack of rigidity
in the spinal region are somewhat re-
joiced to see the mayor struggling with
the same complaint.
People who know Mayor Parker be-
lieve that he will sign or veto the or
dinance according as. he believes would
be right He has no axe to grind. He
has publicly announced that he will not
be again a candidate for office. He is
under obligations to none of the parties
involved in the Vinewood park contro-
versy. The mayor has also openly stated
that he is thoroughly dissatisfied with
the franchise as it stands. He believes,
as do all candid citizens who have in
vestigated the case, that the city is
given decidedly the worst of it in the
ordinance as it was passed.
The problem, therefore which con-
fronts the mayor is exactly the same as
that which confronted some of the coun-
cilmen, namely this: Should he do what
he deems is right. or should he do what
he deems people want him to do? Is it
the duty of the mayor to protect the
citizens of his town from being held up,
or should they protect themselves?
1t has been assumed throughout. both
by citizens in general and by the city
councilmen. that the great majority of
/ the people of Topeka are in favor Of
having the franchise granted. This as
sumption may be erroneous. The people
of Topeka do not know what the Vine
wood park franchise is. It is safe to say
that not 100 people in the whole city of
/ Topeka have ever read the franchise,
and that half of those who have read
it do not understand its provisions
! Probably the people are in favor of some
sort of a street railway to Vinewood
park They are no doubt in favor Of
having 100000 spent in Topeka. Under
/ the franchise as passed by the council
! there is no assurance that either one
! of these objects will be gained How
4
to know what they want done with an
ordinance which was passed less than
80 hours after it was first introduced?
The granting of this franchise is a
/ strictly business transaction. Sentiment
should not control it. It demands as
much care as any other business trans
action. The people elected a mayor and
twelve couneilnen TO attend to this bus
mess They indicated by their votes
that they had confidence in the judg-
ment of the officials elected It is the
duty of these officials to act as they
think the best interests of the city de-
mand. The masses of the people can
not be expected to form an intelligent
/ opinion as to the merits of a proposed
franehise10 typewriter pages in length.
introduced and passed all within so
hours.
It is all right to assume that the peo-
pie want It. and should therefore have
what they want but it is not good bust
ness and it will certainly end in dis
aster-
The duty of the mayor is to protect
the city from swindlers and frauds 1t
would be the mayors duty to instruct
the chief of police to drive a green
goods man or a gold-brick artist out OF
town It is equally his duty to stop the
! contamination of the Vinewood park
franchise grab and inform the Vine
wood park promoters that they can pack
! up their gold brick railroad and go back
to Illinois.