Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-23
ENDORSES "NEWS"
WATER PROBLEM STAND


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To the Editor:
A great many taxpayers and people
generally who have the welfare OF this
city at heart VIII thank the News
for the stand II has taken on the latest.
and, | might say, the biggest piece OF
| grating that this city might be called
upon to foster; for OF all the brazen.
| not to say wicked, schemes ever placed
| IN the statute incubator this CONNER
cial Club-Water Commission bill now
| before the Legislature bears off the
palm. Why. II such a measure were
to become a law, can anyone foreseo the
| condition OF our city gyernment In IL
months thereafter Think Of IT, a city
government Within a city government
and the inside one the dictator Shades
OF the old fire and police commission
| deliver u.s.
Now it may not be generally known
| but there are men IN our community
and, as the saying goes-'men above
| reprOach," who have ever since our
| state constitution went into effect, been
| striving, by any means at their dlspos-
| al, 10 get control Of our water works
system True, our constltutn Is man.
| datory on this point but II this system
| Is bonded much heavier and becomes
| a burden that the city would be unable
| 10 carry, there IS no law or constitution
| that wiuld prevent It's creditors from
| taking II away from the city, and II
| would seem that this bill Is one Of the
fdrerunneis n the coDsummation Of
| this scheme. This may be little hard
| on certain jealous parties that are 30
solicltiOus for the welfare u the dear
| people, but at this stage Of the proceed
ings one might as well call a spade a
/ spade.
Once IN a while when a fellow is up
a tree he sees n good many things,
that Is. II he don't happen 10 have a
| gun, and this. the dear peoples emanei-
| patton bin seems 10 be one OF them.
! Hew nice It VIII he for the mayor, our
| present mayor. 10 appoint upon the
approval OF this act five commissioners
who shall serve until their successirs
are elected and have qualified" and
how nice It win be TO have an
election next April for the successors
Of these men whom the mayor, our
present mayor, shall appoint, and how
nice Il WIN be II there should be no
election next April and how nice It will
be- for these five commissioners. app
pointed by the mayor our present may
| or 70 hold over for four years, and
| until their successors are elected and
| have qualified, and how nice II viii
be for those bondholders who bought
that {250,O0O. 2O-year no option Issue OF
1900, 10 receive q note from this COM
mission. appointed by the mayor our
| present mayor, that they must return
the bonds forthwith, get their interest
for two and one-half years, be satisfied
ond look pleasant Won't II be funny
Il these poor 20-year bondholders VIII
tell this commission, appointed by the
mayor, our present mayor. TO go TO.
Then II win be so nice for this COM
mission, appointed by the mayor. our
present mayor, TO invest the absolute
city funds IN any undertaking, In the
discretion OF the commission, etc
Then that friendly suit Is OF
course, provided for Great Scott or
as Stuart Robson would remark, that
Is a corker" II makes one interro-
gate himself to decipher how many
restless days and nights the learned
author OF that bin spent before he de-
Cided that this friendly suit would FIX
up the whole matter constitution and
all.
Serious though Of all the vicious leg
islation ever asked for, and there has
been a whole lot Of Il. this water COM
mission bill stands prominently at the
head. In addition to the two sections
ol the constitution you, on Saturday
evening, quote, section 20 reads: "Thc
provisions Of this constitution are man
datory and prohibitory, unless by ex-
pfesf words they are declared to be
otherwise" Add this section TO the
sections you quote and then ask has
the Legislature any authority whatever
| 10 pass such n measure as this water
| commission bill? I trow not. Com
ment on the bill Is unnecessary; us
fangs protrude from every clause and
section.
A SALT LAKE CITY TAXPAYER.