Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-12-13
PHOENIX. ARIZONA, DEC. 1898
The Result-And the Future.


1t is net likely that any resident Of
Phoenix was surprised at the result
of yesterdays bond election. although
many had hoped that there might be
q different verdict For months
years. cven-the sentiment in favor of
municipal ownership had been growing
under careful cultivation, and since
the election Of last spring the most
perfect organization ever seen in the
city had been perfected in support of
the bond proposition. So effectUally had
the work been done that, had the cleo
ton taken place two weeks ago, be
fore a discussion on the question, the
vote for the bonds would have been al
NEST unanimous.
Dut-a proposition that was wrong
yesterday is just as wrong today.
However. the opponents of the bond
scheme will accept the result in good
humor, for they knew that it is ex-
trcmely rare that the people al the
polls defeat any kind of a bond propo-
sition. Vote for the bonds" is always
the popular cry. Moreover. the people
should rule. But the fact remains that
the issue presented yesterday to the
voters was not the simple question:
Shall we have municipal ownership?
but, Shall we have two systems OF wa
terworks, enc Of them owned by the
municipality? Obviously, great
many citizens refused to make any dis
tinction between the two propositions.
The city is now committed to the
construction of a complete system of
waterwcrks. This, if the programme OF
the leaders of the movement is carried
out, will mean that we shall have two
water plants, each competing for bus
mess. Undoubtedly, u very large num-
Der Of citizens voted for the bond pro-
position. relying upon frequent and ap-
parcntly authoritative assurances that
it should be regarded in the light Of an
alternative policy; that the city would
neglect to construct the municipal
plant should it be found. few months
hence. that the local water company
is completing its reconstruction in
good faith. That in short, the author
ity to issue bonds would be club"
over the water company. This was one
Of the most potent factors in winning
votes for the bonds.
But it should be kept clearly in
mind that this is not the policy to
which the city was committed yester-
day. Only the most careful and pains
taking management on the part of the
city will extricate it from the entangle-
ment in which it now finds itself. And
dearly, the opportunities for making
mistakes-for making costly blunders-
lie in any direction that may be TAX
en-.
There has never been any substan-
tial division Of opinion in this town as
to the fact that the public ownership
oc the city water supply would be
good thing if the city would operate
q plant without competition and
would fix the water rates at such fig
Tres as would assure the treasury
against deficit But how to eliminate
competition on a basis of fairness to |
al concerned and in such a way as to |
make every dollar OF this $1,000 |
count for one hundred cents is a prob
lem which calls for all the business
sasacity that Mayor Bennett and his
associates in the city administration
can put in play
For the fact is still usuperable that |
tho operation Of two water plants in
this town under the conditions fire.
quontly described in these columns.
will result in certain and continued
lcsa to The city.