The daily sentinel., 1903-03-17

the political history of this great
country that municipal ownership is
purely and simply political move to
secure votes for some aspirants for
Office. and that it is used for this pur-
pose, regardless of any other question.
In almost every city in the Union par
ties have announced that they are us
ing it as a plank upon which to stand
while they gather in the votes. 1t
pie with both political parties that
city government is the legitimate
sports of the victorious party. 1t is for
the purpose of catching the votes of
the laboring class that lower rates of
taxation, with shorter hours and high
er wages. are promised. but these are
invariably forgotten as soon as cleo
tion has passed. so LONG AS PAR
TY POLITICS FIGURE IN MUM
CIPAL ELECTIONS. JUST SO LONG
WILL SUCCESSFUL MUNICH PA l.
OWNERSHIP OF LIGHTING AND
OTHER PLANTS REMAIN AN I'M
POSSIBILITY. Paste that in your
hat. 1t can never be success until
the system of political rewards is en-
tirely divorced from city government.
You want proof of this. Mr.. Editor ,
Then look at the streets of Grand
Junction. There is case of "Muni-
cipal Ownership, (G J. save the
mark y. Are they not beauties? No
corporation has ever laid its death
dealing clutch upon our streets. They
belong to the people and are taken
care of by one of the peoples bosses.
the street commits sioner. A street COM
missioner is supposed to have made a
special study of the art of road max
ing and to know by heart the various
merits and dement's of all kinds of
rock. gravel. earth, etc. used in road
making. Does the average street COM
missioner know his business? You
bet your last years hustle he does.
He knows enough to get paid for
/ tion and then to charge the taxpayers
there prices for dumping it ON the
streets. How do we know that the
new proposed municipals light plant
will not be mismanaged in the same
shameful way that our streets have
been?
IL is claimed that the municipal
ownership of Grand Junction water
plant IS success. In so far as the
actual cash fees paid by the consumer
for the use of water is concerned. it
may be so. But when the interest on
the bonds, the wear and tear on the
plant and the decay of pipes and ma
chinerv is taken into account there is
not much to be said in favor of it.
However. there is no analogy between
plant Nature furnishes the water
free. and all that is necessary is to
| conduct it to the place where il is to
be used. There is no manufacture
while the outfit for an electric plant
and the manufacture of electricity re-
quires the most intricate and complete
machinery known to men and is
changed and being improved constant
ly. This delicate apparatus is subject
to accidents of all kinds. one flash of
lightning may wipe out thousands of
dollars in value. or one careless move
ment of a plug upon the switch board
would cause short circuit. the effect
of which none who have not witnessed
5000 volt current under such circum-
stances can realize. The business re-
quires the constant attention of exper-
fenced men.
With such obstacles to contend with,
how can we expect success in city
plant operated by inexperienced men.
with constant jealousy and dicker-
ings between the managers who are
members of the council made up from
office seeking politicians of opposing
political parties?
Promises are the stock in trade of
politicians of every stripe in Mesa
County. but the proof of the pudding
is in the eating, and when it comes
down to promises of good. careful fl
nanciering the public funds. how do
Won like your tax assessment. and why
should you want to vote to borrow
$50, 600 additional for the ringsters to