Arizona republican., 1903-12-02
PHOENIX. ARIZONA. DEC, 2, 1903.
Cold Facts.

At the bond election to be held De- cember Pa week from next Saturday the citizens whose names are on the special register will determine wheth- CT the city shall take up at once the experiment of municipal ownership of waterworks.
 A heavy responsibility lies cn these registered voters. They are to say whether a mortgage of $300,00O shall be placed upon the taxpayers-a debt which will call fer the payment of Six Hundred and Seventy-five Thousand Dollars in principal and interest with in the stipulated 25 years that the debt Is to run.
 IL Is net a small question.
 Neither is 1t difficult to say what is the duty Of each voter. The duty of each voter Is to defeat the bond pro- position.
 This is made plain by the existing situation.
 Phoenix is in a period of transition. the end whereof no man can foresee. Nobody can undertake to say today what the requirements of the town will be eight or ten years hence in the matter of waterworks For the people unnecessarily to place their backs under this stupendous debt for water system which may be anti quated. inadequate and out of date in few years is 10 adopt Q policy which spells absolute folly.
 Two or three years ago. and. indeed. until very recently. il was impossible to consider cost or future polcy-the pressing necessity of a better water service and better fire protection out weighed every other consideration.
 But now. the long promised renova- ton of the existing system is under way. Abundant evidences Of recon structiOn in good faith are before the eyes or every resident. Very shortly the company which has been supply iug the community will have in opera ton water system thoroughly mod ern and really superior to the plant proposed for public ownership. The management of the company pledges that the Improvements will be com pleted before the first day of next July.
 This presents a state of affairs en- tirely different from that with which the people have had to deal since the agitation for municipal ownership was started. That agitation. for which The Republican assumes a large share or responsibility. has accomplished It's chief purpose. We are to have water and plenty Of 1t. and We are to have ample fire protection. during the years in which the city is to achieve its greatest growth.
 That Is. we are to have more wa tlr-works without the outlay of penny by the city-or the pledges or the water company will be dishonor- ed. within six months.
 Then why this clamor from a few people for a bond issue now? Why this noisy demand now for the adop- ton of a policy from which there can be no turning back hereafter?
 The merits or municipal ownership in the abstract are not in question as the chief issue. although objections of the utmost gravity could be cited.
 The main question is. Shall the tax payers obligate themselves now to pay out in taxes during the next 25 years the sum Of Six Hundred and Seven ty-lve Thousand Dollars for some thing which may be unsuitable to our needs before the payment of this enor- nous debt Is begun? Shall this step be taken when there exists no reason for it whatsoever?
 Six months from now. the situa- ton may be dinerent-but it is alto gether improbable. Only some great catastrophe could prevent the coasum- nation or the plans Of the water com pany. Eut fl. for any reason. it shall develop hy the first or next July that the company has not fulfilled its pledges all the time In the calendar win be at the disposal of the people