Arizona republican., 1905-07-08
PHOENIX'S FAITH An Expression of It in
 Mayor Adams Al THE OORRIS MEETING
Confidence Voted in the First Water WOrhS Commission - A Discussion of the Present Unfortunate Situa- tiqn-The City Hall Plaza Meeting.

A mass meeting representative of the solidity of Phoenix last night express ed unqualified confidence in the abiI- ity and intergrity and honor of Mayor Adams and in the first water works commission appointed by him and con- firmed by the council, consisting of M Messrs. Oberfelder Luhrs, Clark and DeMund.
 This was the crowning event of the meeting which had been called for a ice discussion of the position of May or Adams in the controversy which has arisen between him and a majority of the members of the council over the selection of a commission for the landing of the bonds voted for the building of a system of public water works.
 The call for the meeting had been signed by the various elements of Phoenix. Some of the signers were friendly to Mayor Adams and some were not. The attendance was much larger than could reasonably have been expected at an indoor meeting at this season of the year. None were there out of curiosity.
 w. B. Cleary presided. He recited the events which had led up to the present situation, the appointment of the first commission. the action of the council resembling its action in con 1irming the nOmnations of the first commissioners and the resignation of the mayor. Mir CIeary also mention ed the fact that he and the mayor were political enemies and had been on opposite sides of every public ques- ton which had arisen in Phoenix. But now he said that the course of the mayor was so paIpably right and that of the opposition so palpably wrong and unbusiness like that no reasonable person could fail to come to the sup Itrt of the mayor.
 There were present on the stage, be side the chairman, Messrs. Moss, Greene. Kersting and Lauver Of the council, Messrs. Oberfelder and Luhrs ct the first commission and MT. C. H. Davidson, one of the recognized leaders of the opposition.
 MT. Cleary at the conclusion of his Introductory address announced that Nh. Davidson would have something to say on the other side. MT. David son explained that he was present be- cause he had signed the call for the meeting but that he was due at the opposition meeting in progress at the city hall plaza. He began with the presentation of a document containing statements made by each of the coun- Cflmen regarding the manner of the ap- continent and confirmation of the members of the first commission. These statements were separate for the req son that they purpOrted to set forth what the mayor had told them separ- ately on the night of the presentation of the names of the first commission CTS. The statements of MT. Lauver and MT. Kersting alleged that MT. Adams had told them that all of the members of the commission were municipal ownership men and that it had since been learned that three of them were not MT. Moss statement set forth that the mayor had told him that he had the exclusive right to make the and that he knew nothing of the personnel of the intended com-
 until their names were pre- sented.
 Having read these statements, MT. Davidson went on to say that he had the greatest confidence in the honor of the commissioners but that it had been an unvarying public policy to se lect as men to carry out measures, men wi ho had been in advocacy of such 
 Having finished his address. MT. Da- vidson was about to leave when he was recalled by Chairman Cleary and reminded that he had publicly express ed his confidence in the commissioners LuC that on the street and in private he had accused them of dishonesty of purpose. MT. Cleary asked MT. Da- vidson if he had not told him that Messrs. Oberfelder and Luhrs were opposed to municipal ownership; that they were Sherman men; water works men. Mir Davidson admitted that he had made such a statement but he said that he had talked to neither MT. Ob- erfelder nor MT. Luhrs regarding their views. He said that following the ap- pointment of the commission Emil Gang had told him that he did not see why the mayor had appointed these two commissioners; he added that though one was his business associate end the other one of his warmest per sonaI friends. both were opposed to public ownership.
 MT. OberfeIder obtained the floor and stated that he had never had any with MT. Gang on the subject and MT. Luhrs said that he favored public ownership of the water works. At ono time he said he had opposed the voting of the bonds be- cause he did not believe that the time had come. Now however he was for the municipal ownership of the water works. There was d more or less in tel esting but friendly cOlloquy between MT CIeary and Mir. Davidson when the latter finally retired.
 Mayor Adams was called for. He went over the present disagreement between himself and the majority of the council and then related the cir concerning the appointment If the commission. Concerning the statements of the members of the council read by MT. Davidson, the