The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-06
price OF PEACE. I"
President Streets Compromise
Receives a Setback.
There VIII Be No Reduction Of
Water Rates Now.
HE MAKES HIS TERMS.
City Must Recognize Company
and Dismiss Litigation.
SAYS Company Prefers Peace
But viii Fight.

"rhe price Of peace" as President
Charles T. Street terms it, seems to be
COO high
Indications are now that the council
viii reject the proposition of President
Street to reduce water rates 90 per cert
without waiting for the outcome Of the
Vraterworks bond election.
"Au litigation must stop. The city
must recognize the validity Of the water
company's franchise" This is the price
Of peace as briefly stated last night by
President Street at an important con-
ference with Mayor Parker, city Attor-
ney Spencer and all twelve members Of
the city council. in Mayor Parker's office
after the regular council meeting.
on it's part. President Street pledged
the water company to reduce rates 20
Der cent. practically as demanded by
the council in the war measure OF
1897. to extend water mains into the
dry districts. six miles to be built the
first year and two miles each subso-
uuent year until the town is covereds
and to concede to the city the option OF
purchasing the plant at regular inter
walls of ten years. the price TO be de-
termined by arbitration, by the courts,
or by mutual consent.
But to secure these concessions. the
city must embody them all ia an amend
ment TO the disputed franchise. and
thereby acknowledge that the franchise
IS valid. This the council does not seem
disposed to do. though there is almost z
unanimous sentiment against long ltl~
cation If possible to avoid it,
No vote was taken on President
Streets proposition Not all of the
aa 1I
Judging from the Indications the council
viii not pass the proposed amendment.
1t win allow the existing rates TO con
tinue pending the outcome of the bond
election IF the city votes to buy the
plant then the problem is wiped out OF
existence If the bonds are defeated.
the city is left free to solicit q renewal of
President Streets offers or to go IN ami
fight the water company to the bitter
end. on the theory that its franchise IS
invalid.
Last nights conference cleared the
atmosphere 1T left everybody with
better understanding of the situation
Even the pusillanimous attempt of
Councilman Wolf to have the newspaper
reporters excluded from the conferences
was frozen to death by the chilly silence
which greeted his outbreak
President Street addressed the meet
inf in his usual frank and manly way,
and set forth fully the position which
the company has taken.
we want peace" he said, and we
are willing to pay the price The Ordi-
nance which you passed in 1887 reducing
rates 90 per cent was q war measure
with you You were then fighting the
company. IF you are still satisfied with
that ordinance, we VIII accept it, with
a very few minor changes to which 1 be-
ieve you win readily consent We win
also agree to extend our mains into the
dry districts. We will further give you
the right to purchase our plant once
every ten years. We offer these things
1850
to assure us of that 1t is all we ask. We
prefer to make a little less money and
make II peaCeably. I can see no reason
why we should not settle all our diff
cultes in fifteen minutes, The city
council should draw up an amendment
70 our franchise providing for these
three things I have mentioned I ain
frank to say that by passing this amend -
ment YOU Will admit the validity Of this
franchise. You put it beyond your power
to contest the validity of our franchise
lhat is the price which you pay fOr
these concessions and we get what We
Want-ueace
IF we are to fight, we must fight as
nara as We can. 1t win be hard on us
financially. and hard on the people Of
AOpeka who live in the dry districts.
1T we must fight the city. we won't
make any reduction in rates. of course.
III you attempt to force us to reduce
rates we would fight YOU. We would
get every dollar out of the citv we
y
WITH Aou would do the same in our
position We believe that we are right.
we nave advised with some Of the
greatest special attorneys in the coun-
1ly on this matter and we believe that
our position is impregna bic. Your at
torney has stated why you hold that
our franchise is invalid. We admit
tnal me city council in 1892 exceeded
ils powers in granting us a franchise
Wnlcn ran for more than 20 wears But
IN 1898 the legislature passed a special
act designed to especially validate our
lranchise. We believe that law is good
ana II tne matter ever gets into the
supreme court Of the United States. we
peleVe we viii be sustained in ou
position An exactly parallel case from
california has been decided by the su.
preme court in this way.
fSul as say we prefer peace. This
proposition which we make is onlv Oh
any consequence in case the bonds fai
TO carry. If they fail YOU will van
some company TO supply you with wa.
yer. why not u.s. We offer YOU al
CT r I'M