The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-27
TWO DROP OUT.
Councilman Holidays High
Handed Methods Bear Fruit.
Mr.. Neil, Third Ward, and Mr..
Sinner, Fifth, Quit.
WILL OBEY
Satisfied That Taxpayers Want
the Water Plant.
Other Changes in the lineup
Are Possible.
WILL OBEY PEOPLE

i Two conversions to the cause of city
ownership in the solid eight" of the
city council are announced today.
Councilman George Neil. of the Third
ward, notified j. w. f. Hughes that he
will refuse to serve on the packed COM
mittee appointed under c. K. Holli-
days resolution for the purpose of in
vestigatfng. the legal phases of the sit
uation. II am done with that crowd
said Mr.. Neil. TN the future l will
vote for city ownership, and the pur-
chase Of the plant; If the people OF
| them to have it, though 1 do think the
price is too high"
Councilman J. c. Sinner, of the Fifth
ward, has also seen the light. He said
| today: Il have not refused to serve on
: that committee, but I don't believe the
committee will be able to do anything.
| The plan is to have a conference with
/ City Attorney Spencer today, and find
| out the legal situation. and in my opin-
| ion, this will just about end the whole
business. L want to say that / shall
| vote to buy this plant unless it can be
shown that we can build a plant
of our own without getting tangled up
with lot of litigation. / am opposed
to any more litigation. L voted for
Holidays resolution on this theory:
that we could carry out the plan with
out getting into the courts. If City At
torney Spencer thinks we will have
law suit on our hands as a result of
the proposed action, than 1 shall vote
to buy the present plant.
City Attorney Spencer has already
positively announced that of one thing
there could be no possible ground of
doubt; namely, that If the city refused
to buy the plant, and tried to build
fight to the last ditch.
Councilman Holidays radical res
olution is having the reaction which it
was expected to have. The members
of the ''solid eight'-now dwindled to
six--went a step too far, and their un-
fair and groundless position has served
to rouse the whole city, and bring
some of the recalcitrant councilmen to
their senses.
Councilman Neil today explained his
change of heart as follows: THE thing
which made me leave that crowd
mean the solid eight-was the bad
faith in which they acted by the pass
age of that resolution Tuesday night.
The understanding was that nothing
should be done by the council until the
Commercial club had investigated the
matter further, and Mr.. Holiday him
self secured a postponement of action
by the Commercial club with this I'M
derstanding. Then he Went ahead ana
showed this resolution through. Char-
ley Holiday is a pretty smooth article;
he can make a good speech, he is a
nice fellow and all right, but want
to say that I'm not going to be bull
dozed by him or anybody else
1T is true that / voted for the Hol-
liday resolution. I had just about
made up my mind to vote against 1T,
but those fellows persuaded me to
stay with them. and L thought then
that it wouldn't do any special harm
to pass the resolution. But in the fu-
ture I shall vote to buy the plant
at the agreed price. If the people
want the plant purchased, they ought
to have it, and if we pay too much
for it. it will not be our fault"
With Neil and Sinner lined up In
favor of the purchase of the water
works plant the Holiday resolution
could be defeated, even though no
more councilman change their votes. !
AS it stands at present, six council
men are supposed to be favorable to
the purchase of the plant. and six
hostile. In case of a tie vote. the
proposition is lost, and thus the Hol-
liday scheme would fall 1t is alto |
yether proba5 G. however, that some
of the other Holiday men Will ehlnge |
their votes now that Councilman Neil |
and Sinner have changed. If any |
more changes are made, it will not be |
necessary for a mandamus suit to be !
broueh hi to comIel the council to do |
its duty and take the plant. |
II there is any further delay in TAX |
ing the plant, however. it is very prob |
able that mandamus proceedings will |
be commenced.