The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-15
PUBLIC OPINION is ALL POW
ERFUL.

There are some good men in Raj
eigh-(we mean good in their private
lives, but not good in their civic ca
pacity)-who say: 81 would like to
see Raleigh governed by its best men
who are not interested in the Water
Company, or in keeping some friend
on a salary, or having some graft in
view, but what's the use? The rich
fellows who want to control the city's
water and want a new contract that
gives them more than they ought to
have desire a renewal of their fran
chise for a song, and they will unite
with the grafters and folks who care
nothing for city government except
to get office. We cannot help our
selves, and therefore / will not
trouble myself to make a popular
fight"
Now, suppose Raleigh were made
up of such spineless citizens would
the town be worth living in? 1t is
because, without putting such a spirit
into words, so many good men have
OtcH Sill htiiS SAtAHCAio NAA1I AeSASAoNA
has not had as good government as it
deserves.
The large majority of the people
of this city wish good government. If
they will work together they can elect
eight aldermen who owe obligations to
no Office seeker, own no stock in the
Water Company and are not influenced
ny those who do own it. Is it worth
ne effort? There are two reasons
lrticularly this year why it is worth
= aking sacrifice to secure good city
.vernment:
L. Under the new charter of the
o.,y. the aldermen are to elect a
Board of Audit and Finance. This is
a new experiment. 1t will be a costly
failure unless the men selected are
men of the best type. 1t is certain
that the only way to get the right
sort of men on that board is to elect
men of the highest character to COM
pose the board of aldermen. That
can easily be done if the citizens will
refuse to vote for any candidate who
and will name some high man who
will serve the city only from patriotic
motives.
2. The franchise of the Water Com |
pany expires in November of next |
year. Several years ago the water |
extended, but there were few reso-
lutte aldermen who thwarted the |
plan. At that time also the Water |
Company secured money which ought |
never to have been paid them, only !
four aldermen resisting the unjust |
claim. The names of those four al
dermen deserve to be remembered.
They were Charles F. Cooke, Samuel
Bogasse, Lynn Wilder and L. Brown |
Pegram. The Water Company, which |
claims to be worth over 100000, |
though it cost much less. pays no city |
taxes and charges the city exorbitant |
prices for it's supply and charges |
private consumers sums that are pref
ty steep. The Board of Aldermen, |
to be elected in May must pass upon |
q new franchise. 1t should be a |
board that will work for the city and |
no man should be elected on that |
board who is interested directly or
indirectly or can be Influenced by the
Water Company. The voters can
learn who is so interested. To vote
for such man is to vote to give a
bonus from the pockets of the people
to the Water Company. The city
should either buy the present water
works 1T what it is worth, paying
nothing for watered stock or for the
franchise, erect a new system, or
grant a new franchise to the Water
Company and charge therefor a
yearly sum that would be proper.
The first is the course that ought to
be pursued. If eight honest disin-
terested men are chosen OH the board
of aldermen they will do what is best
for the city. If eight weak or COR
rupt men, or eight men selected by
the Water Company, or men owning
stock in the Water Company are
chosen, the rights of the city will be
made secondary to the rights of the
Water Company.
The rights of the city can be pro-
tected and eight honest and disin-
terested men can be chosen if the
people of Raleigh prefer the inter-
est of the city to the interest of a |
nnrivate concern anxious to get the |
ity to give them something for
othing.