Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-07-15
Nae IouRNAL,s SO More IT ne.

After many DAYS of profound and peaceful silence on
the water question, the water organ this morning broke
out in a fresh place. Whether such outbreak was caused
by the perod Of the water Supply company, convincing
the organ that it was not working with sufficient energy
20 secure the money promised the owners OF the organ
If the franchise shall be extended; or whether the resuul
silence of several days had imbued the organ with the
idea that it could put up a better defense than 1t dd
before-which of these melted the outbreak, The CtHen
will not undertake to determine. But for all practcal
purpose. as any one may determine who has forttude
enough to wade through the SO lines of the outbreak, the
organ had, done better to maintain its peaceful and rest
full silence.
Not a new thought, and much less a new fact or a
new argument. does the outbreak contain. Not a scin-
.iIla of light do the IS lines of the outbreak throw on the
matter of controversy, as to whether or not the existing
franchise of the Water Supply company shall be extended
for ~thirty-fve years., without promise OF beneht 10 tne
municipality or one intimatlon Oh purueh remoNeu "o
the consumer.
The entire outbreak devotes itself to a misrepresenta-
ton of the utterances OF The Citizen. For instance, In the
beginning of the outbreak, it is said that The Citizen pro
duced "a series of somewhat lurid warnings to the PEG
pe that the city council was about to act with undue
haste" Then, near the middle of the outbreak, referring
to the same, it says, having attempted to dlscred't lhe
council by hints of proposed hasty action. Can the
same course be described at one and the same time as
"lurid warnings" and as "hints?' Anyone who knows the
force of language knows that the ideas conveyed by these
two expressions are Incompatible when applied 10 the
same thing. There is an old principle in logic which
teaches that contradictory statements cannot both De
true. but they may both be false.
The latter Is the fact in the present case II W.
zen neither by word nor deed has at any time made any
"attempt to discredit the city council and the assertion
of the water organ to the contrary is false and ma
licious. When the demand for the extension OF the water
franchise to 1910 was made upon the city council, Inc
Citizen regarded the question as the most important
which could at present come before the people OF Alpu'
oueroue. and it counseled the city government to take
time for its careful and thorough examination. In oons
this It did but exercise the right belonging to every Gu
zen of a representative government, in which the omclalS
are the servants of the people and not their masters
Furthrmore. The Citizen in this matter did but take the
identical position which the water organ found itself com,
PEELED to take in this mornings outbreak. Speaking OF
the work of the special committee, the organ says, 1T
will of necessity require the most careful consideration
and etc. 1t is certainly encouraging that the water organ
has at last come to see the matter in the same light in
ginning.
But the most astonishing is yet to come. The citizen
said on Thursday evening: in the meantime we would
suggest that the Journal devote its energies in securing
a session OF the special committee of the city council on
the water works proposition"
This is what provoked this mornings outbreak. And
yet the organ itself is compelled to say: There should,
of course, be no unreasonable or unnecessary delay; and
1t Is to be hoped that this committee will be ready to
submit its report at the next regular meeting of the
council"
AS The Citizen has thus compelled the water organ
to come to the identical positions The Citizen assumed
from the beginning, this paper can well feel satisfied with
the work it has accomplished.