Arizona republican., 1903-12-09
PHOENIX, ARIzoNE, DEC. 9, 1903
Prejudice q Poor Guide.

q FOOI
Unquestionably, a respectable num-
Der OF Phoenix citizens are inclined to
vote in favor of the waterwo-ks bonds.
although it is not conceivable that
there can be a majority for the propo-
sition-not to speak of the necessary
two-thirds. But as nearly all OF the
men who favor the bond proposition
are valued friends of The Republi
can. respect for their views prompts
us to give more space to the bond ques-
ton than we should otherwise.
# each one of these good citizens
viii commune with himself for a lit
tie while, and analyze his position, he
will find it based mainly on a prejudice
against the Phoenix Water company.
Indeed, were it possible to make an as
say, the result would be about as fol-
lows: Prejudice against the company
and resentment because of unsatisfac-
tory water service in the past, 1919 per
cent; actual knowledge of any bene-
fit to accrue to water consumers or
taxpayers from a bond issue of Three
Hundred Thousand dollars, a fraction
Ct less than per cent.
Butts it wise or busiaesslike to in
cur heavy debt Just because the wa
ter consumer has not found his service
altogether satisfactory in the past?
That is the naked proposition fer ev-
cry ground for complaint is being re-
moved By the water company just as
r"n'dly as W.. kingmen can do it.
y completely new system is under
construction. The go1l faith o. The
water company can be ascertaincd by
any citizen who has a. sufficient sense
of fairness and a sufficient regard for
his own interests to make an investi-
cation. y little trouble In the way OF
investigation will show that the COM
pany las already expended more than
500 Geo III the work OF reconstruction. 1t
will SHOW that the actual cash outlay
for wages to workingmen for a long
time has amounted to $500 a week,
and that this expenditure will contin-
We foI several months to come. l. win
be found that when the programme OF
the company Is carried out it's outlay
on modern plant viii have amounted
to 100000. It will be found that all the
banks in town, having satisfied them
selves Of the truth of these statements,
as The Republican has satisfied itself
oc their truth, will substantiate them.
Nor is this all 1t is a fact that
the water company has made such
a heavy expenditure for mechanical
equipment and water mains during
the past few months that it
could not under any circum- !
stances afford to leave the work Of 3
construction unfinished To abandon /
this programme would mean the loss ,
OF the $4,000 which has already gone
into the new plant this year. By the |
first of next July, therefore, the Phoa-
nix Water company viii be operating
an entirely new and modern plant, re- !
CARELESS Of any action of the citizens F..
as to the municipal plant.
OF what consequence now is the past
service of this company? a second sys-
TEN Of waterworks with prejudice as
the only reason for its existence
would be monument to the folly of
Phoenix people.
At no other place In the United
States was It ever seriously proposed
that a city should embark upon such
an undertaking as the one now under
consideration in Phoenix With an alb
sc!ute assurance that the business sec
ton OF the city will have the best pos
sihie,fire protection within two months.
and with the further assurance, no less
absolute, that within six months the
entire town win have a water sys-
tern equal to any In the country. bust
ncss men who have shown sufficient
capacity to handle their affairs sue
ccssfully are actually requested to join
In creating an enormous debt for the
sole purpose of having duplicate
plant. 1t is pretended by nobody
that the rates for water from the city
system would be any lower than the