The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-18
Will Give Reasons I'm an Official
Message.
JOT OVERRULE MAYOR.
Not Enough Votes to Carry Over
Objection.
Four Councilmen Are Opposed
to Its Passage.

/
by the council on August 1.
II have decided to veto the fran
chise," said the mayor, but shall not
give my reasons until the council meets
again. At that time 1 will have them
written out at length. There is not a
| bit of use in talking to me now as to
the cause of my action. There is plen-
ty of time to take that up later. But
will say very definitely that the or
dinance will be vetoed
Councilmen Sinner and Nellis stated
this morning that they would stand by
the mayors veto. Councilmen Howe
and Green voted against it when it was
passed. 1t is practically safe to assume
from this that the ordinance will not
be passed by the council over the
must be carried by a two-thirds major
ity, or nine votes, and it is safe to say
now that there will be four nays.
This course of procedure on the part
of Mayor Bergundthal has been ex-
pected. He has, however, steadfastly
refused to announce his position in re-
gard to the matter. Even on Wednes-
day afternoon he stated that he would
not commit himself in regard to the
matter until the next regular council
meeting on September 5. Interested
parties nave pressed him to say definite
~. what he intended to do, until he
that his veto would be affixed to the
franchise.
Councilman c. K. Holiday of the
Second ward is father of the gas or
dinance and he has worked early and
late to have it passed. He proposes
under its provisions to give the city of
Topeka $1.25 gas for 80 years. 1t is to
the life of the franchise that objection
was raised, many feeling that the gas
company would then have the city en-
tirely under control so far as the sup
ply of gas as a commodity was con-
cerned.
the matter this morning and said:
Great calamities have happened to
this city in days gone by. but none
is greater than the veto of this fran
chise. I say that seriously and con-
scientiously. 1 know 1 am right The
mayor is making bad mistake, re-
CARELESS of what his reasons are. I
know he is wrong. Under this fran
chise Topeka is getting practically as
good a rate as Lincoln, and that city
is always compared to ours in the dis
cussion of questions of this nature. In
Lincoln they, pay $1.2o, while nere IN
aha and St. Joe have the $1.20 rate also.
do not see where this city can regis
ter an objection
ct do not know what will become of
back to the council for another vote.
1 do not know whether 1 can get a
two-thirds vote or not. Members of
the council have objected to the ordi-
nance and will object to it again. They
will vote against it. That 1 know
1 have no idea how it shall come out"
Then Councilman Holiday pulled
his petition from his pocket and
showed the signatures of people who
asked the mayor to sign the ordinance.
There were at least ten feet of these
names and many were those of prom
inent people.
sel
Holiday. land show the mayor and
those who are Directing just who IA
vors the passage of the ordinance"
The size of the petition was men
toned to Mayor Bergundthal and he
was asked what he thought of it.
"Oh," he replied, you can get any
body to sign paper. That don't
worry me a bit. 1 have reasons for
in my message to the council when
1 return the franchise unsigned. We
will just wait until then"
An effort was made this morning to
ascertain the present attitude of the
council in regard to the matter and
their opinions of Mayor BergundthaPS
veto. But two out of the seven who
were interviewed made a definite state
the Fifth ward. He voted favorably
when the ordinance was passed, but
now makes a flat-footed statement
that he is against it. 81 am against
H., L. l. X
actly favorable to it before. 1 wanted
to see a clause in the bill so that if
natural gas could be piped into To- |
peka there would be nothing to hinder !
it. I somehow feel that this ordinance
would be a hindrance. Therefore I |
will change my vote in regard to the |
matter"
Brigadier General ]. w. F. Hughes, |
commander of the Kansas National |
Guard, was busy overworking himself |
on military duties. One might Just as |
well have tried to talk to a loop-the- |
Iooper as to him. Not in the gas
business. Got other things to do. /
Have to take these officers to eat
Councilman Ryder of the First ward |
was more determined than any of the
other city fathers to not express him
in regard to the franchise at this |
time" He was then asked why he /
voted for it the other time. THAT is
my own affair" he replied. Then he
was asked how he feels about the /
matter now. THAT is a personal mat
ter, too" replied the First ward coun-
Gilman.
Councilman Swendson admitted in a |
half-timid way that he would favor
the bill, but qualified his statement
by saying that he is still undecided |
The bill has good points, and some |
that will materially aid the city, But
I'll wait until the council meeting"
he said as he begged to be excused
from saying more.
Councilman Nellis was asked in re-
gard to the matter and said: 81 shall i
stand by the mayors veto"
Councilman Howe was given an on
oortunity to express his opinion and he
said: Il have a copy of the bill in my
pocket and want to consider it before
stating how shall vote when it comes
Up again..
Councilman Kutz also left an i'm
preston that he rather liked the ordfn-
ance. He said: 1T has two or -hree
little points which I should like to see
changed so as to make it better"
Councilmen Griley, Green and Neil
ire out of the city.
1t is consequently safe to say that
he ordinance is killed. Straight from
he shoulder statements such as Coun-