The St. Louis Republic., 1905-02-08
FREE HHfn;E ROOEHACK.

. For apparent rra>rn beyond the pure mi>'hief
Of opposition, the elements plotting I" injure the pres
cnt municipal administration advance the criticism
that the bond i-S,i- approved 10y Mayor Wills does
in.-,rlc in i'> ,,i,jrrtS fra" hri,ls".
Leaving out the legal question whether the Char
ter gives f" city lii. power make permanent
.nverm ment in enterprise, "Utsi." of its limits and
having Il" with Interstate traffic. this plan of
new bridge has than side.
II il Is iutcn.iri 90. lee only Wa-"u and foot
bridge the doubt arises whether the probable, hu>
ness suiii, ,irnr. demand arising from
need Of facilities for wagon ard foe, traffic should
certainly be IL way
But the argument FOR 4 hr.,l-" las 'lIirly
taken the form ~ appeal Tor railroad connexions
which would cn,anciiat. -. Louis from III. Terun
nal Association and wiI- out III" bridge arbitrary.
Has Not - Louis paid enough ri"ncy in icarIiin:
The iss,n that building h:ids" d"cs force the
railroads I" il:
Ref"r- rhr Ead> hrid-" completed Icy citizens
OF public spirit. though, first nf ,i,ve ping The
city-x trade AMI uIsIc only incident oi profit
Ia themselves. they discovered that hrid:" would
ne useless without extensive ai'Iroa..'> AMI
rections with railroads Th.s. provided. Even
then the raElruadS .l!d ,Lr >rrurrur except
,s il suited them. The r.~u, was thar it PASSED
through fall and drci.nc 4 revenues int. railroad
hands
When the Merchants bridge built in the
spirit ard for the p'!rl"s'' similar need
OF clah'ra'c connecting ra!lrnad facilities was ap
parent h.for. the bridge Completed A.aiu
great cxy.-n.. ground bought an. >iG!rr of
fcrr,i the railroads Again ra. railroads followed
their views In crossing TN. river I'll" Nor
chants bridge followed the Esd> hg.'!c" into th.
hands OF In. railroads No II men ,-,r!l operate
it as q husins~> ent--prs. independent ha>iS
bill, E..l.
with public NANNY: The Rcrublic does n"t pretend
70 know Probably th. rsira,ts themselves Il" not
know Railroad trs.ii., far fr-in h.inS aU -xa.;
science Hut. Judging from experience. it fair
10 ASSUME that. as far railroad - ccn'.Tn.,
We should have triiEr s'sn,lin: th"r" tdi" .ud
unpr,iuc,v~ Even II IN" city "r 's liberal ,3'iz"i.s
rs dtviinsIs ~ouli undertake the cu"TnuuS
peus- .f buying au.i aud providing connections IN
both sides ~ tn. river there i sssuran'r "hat
ever ths, this investment would be anything !ut 4
dead loss.
The Republic favor> -vcry useful aai promising
rroieC, which S~nicInpst.> enlargement =" trad"
.r a r~.icf fr,an inp.-iim"n,s. Rut n ihr heGt Il
pre.cu, knowledge il cannot 80" that f,,, hr:i=.
or bridge ~ ANY other kind woull .,-,rcc IN" rai
roads into chansin. che rates or ;he billing ha>~-
We trsr,. Il With the Merchants h-i!-r AMI failed!
sre fher. conditions which indicate better fortune
AZ this time:
The prospect n::al - better than IT = aa! stu
justify ,h. munciFSai administration IN specific
aiy asking ;aa; issuc oi bonds hs made for AID
Ing or Assuming the construction NheR lSn'i> Ar"
issued they sh.lIi ts fcv definite. plain rnuIi>
taxable pubic nests. Th.rc should tc possibility
of legal doubt. Th. objeSt .aoukl never te ccaT'n
gent On relaiiRs with the uncertainties of private
comnerris businrss.
That the administration AMI the Municipal A.
scmbiy did extend che t~'nd proposition 81 -
rc inclUde fFre sS.dsc - :rnre I" their business
sense and their for the interests cf taxpayers
And u 10 also tribute their r,ssrS "a. ,is n>-->
Aary publc cajerts ~ hi-h Nerc designated In ia-
osdnaDcs: brcauDe IL . free tsSlSe psU1~-iticn had