The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-05-23

an excellent suggestion and should be
acted on. The people are back of the
move, and if it Is defeated, there
should be a municipal plant, and If
that cannot be had then an opposition
electric company, in which case my
subscriptio of $500 will be turned
over to that company. The resolutions
will be promptly conveyed to the par
ties in the east and if we can get
them to understand it as we do, the
enterprise will go on.
Ed. Weaver said that he felt that
the railway proposition should be a
go. He would be sorry to see ]. B.
Meagher, who inherited the property
that cost his father nothing, defeat
the proposition.
". N. Plymat related humorous
story and spoke of ST. Paul men
coming to Mankato and deciding
what 20 do and who to do. Laws
should as a rule be enforced, but there
are times when the people are almost
above the strict letter of the law.
There is no law that permits congress
t appropriate money for the sufferers
in Martinique. Our council has ap-
propriated $500 for the semi
celebration, in violation Of the char
ter. All the people rejoice at both
acts. If any person should bring an
injunction to stop them his soul
would be SO enthusiastically small that
100, 90 millions of them could dance
on the point of cambria needle and
not be near enough to touch hands.
He could not believe thai the plaintiff 9
act was that of an Individual, but
rather as a member of corporation.
II cannot be that man who pays
taxes on So, 600 of property, whose
share of the increased taxes would not
exceed dollar, would go to the ex-
pense of coming up from st. Paul and
hiring attorneys to prevent that in
crease. Capital is timid and does not
like to buy lawsuits, and it is doubt
full whether the enterprise will go on
unless something is done to prevail
on the plaintiff to withdraw his
action. If he can be convinced that
the interests of his corporation are
ieopardized, he may be prevailed up
on to withdraw it. The interests of
his corporation are more jeopardized
than those of our new corporation, as
people have said that they would
rather go about with lanterns and sit
at home with tallow dip rather than
patronize it. prolonged applause.
Mayor Petersen said that if the city
had some years ago not been enJoined
from putting in municipal plant it
would not be paying too much
for lights now. Fuel, labor, ETC., are
higher now than formerly, when we
paid more for lights The street rail
way will bring US into touch with 40
miles of country around US, as extern
sions will follow. The.eastern people
have plenty of capital. They have
made many concessions They will
endeavor to build up their railway
system and in doing so will build up
the city. The city needs more lights,
but the present company cannot fur
nish them, as each additi onal light
will take power from the others. A
hundred arcs are needed. If the old
company had attended to its business
as it should, it would not now be dis
carded. That company has been do
ing it's little, undetermined work, but
[ expected it. The council will work
earnestly for the new enterprise in
the future as in the past.
DIR. I. D. Webster said that he was
in sympathy with all that had been
done, but he did not feel that as much
had been accomplished as might have
been. These people knew that we
| wouldn't like their move. We have
got to show them that their move is
not to their interest They have
things to sell an6 we are the market.
We should show them why it is to
their disadvantage to carry on the
suit. He suggested that vote be
taken that it was the sense of the
meeting that the council dispense
with the company's street lighting
services as soon as possibl 1t is i'm
possible for the company to carry out
its contract with the city. The con-
tract could be broken at once. 1t
seems arbitrary, but what can be more
arbitrary than the injunction suit.
Great applause. He moved that
it be the sense of the meeting that.
! if the injunction is not withdrawn,