Arizona republican., 1905-07-07
PHOENIx. ARIZONA. JULY ', 1905
Are They Afraid to Face the People ?

Are They Afraid to Face the People :?
 A meeting of taxpayers of the city of Phoenix is to be held at the court house tonight to discuss the questions raised in the council relative to the municipal waterworks This meeting will be the result of a spontaneous movement of citizens who are looking only for the welfare of the city, and who wish to learn what reasons there are. if any, why there should be differ ences between Mayor Adams and other members of the city council. The idea is a good one As we understand it, everybody is invited, and the meeting is to be open to everybody. And, judg- ing from the large number of names signed to the call for the meeting, there will be a large attendance.
 Since every re i'd mt of the town is directly interested in the subject of the waterworks, all proceedings looking to a municipal plant should be before the eyes of the public-everything should be open and aboveboard. There should be no star chamber performance at any stage. There is much to be said in favor of town meetings for the dis cussion and settlement of local ques- tions. The people, when fully informed, seldom make a mistake. It would have been better, undoubtedly if a town meeting had preceded the selection of water commissioners in the first place, for the mayor and councilmen are in office merely to carry out the pop ular will.
 But it appears that there are to be two meetings tonight-another meet ing. to be engineered by certain pub Iic-spirited gentlemen who seem to fear that the people cannot be trusted.
 This directly raises a question as to the good faith of the aforesaid public spirited gentlemen and statesmen who are insisting that Mayor Adams res ignation should be accepted. There is good reason to suspect that they are chiefly interested in seeing the mayors office vacated by MT. Adams. There is good reason to suspect that they are not concerned nearly as much with the public welfare as they are with chance to elect one of their bunch mayor. There is good reason to suspect that certain men who call themselves republicans would gladly see the republican party in Phoenix rent asunder if thereby the disappear ancc of Mir. Adams from the mayors chair could be accomplished. There is good reason to suspect that these men, joined by certain democratic politicians. have joyfuIy accepted the unnecessary differences between the mayor and the counciImen as an op- rortunity to play dfsreputablc politics. It must be said. however. to the credit of democrats in general, that they are taking no hand in this back-stairs, peanut business.
 There is reason to believe, also, that some or the men who have elected themselves guardians of the people in the matter of the waterworks-with graft in view-fear that their leader ship cannot be maintained when the people learn the inside of the whole matter. The meetings which have stampeded the members of the council have at no time been attended by more than two dozen men, who purported to speak for two thousand. And of the two dozen. two or three men have taken the lead.
 The leaders of the two dozen evil deutly think it would be better for their schemes to confuse citizens. f possible. by announcing another meet ing than that at the courthouse