The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-02

"6ON6SOAIs AO0O0I & iSV0s
in motion to do this kind Of work,
these contemplated improvements
should be taken in hand early; the de-
tails should be- worked out during the
fall and winter, so that in the early
spring the work can be carried on
to completion.
Concrete Walks.
AS to concrete walks that are not
On the proper grade, this is delicate
matter, and should be handled by your
honorable body in wise and conserva-
tive manner. The pioneers in ce-
ment walks should not be punished
for their public spirit, unless they de-
| liberately ignored the instructions of
the city surveyor when he gave them
the street grade. Some of these walks
are so disracefully above grade that
anyone could possibly give that it
is no more than justice to compel the
| owners to lower them where they be-
long. Where the walks are only
slightly above or below grade, and
where the city may be at fault, l ad-
wise that you meet these property
| owners and try to adjust the differ
ences so that no unjust hardship will
| fall to these citizens. One thing is
evident to every fair-minded citizen
! of the city, and that is that these
walks must be placed On the proper
grade, even if the city has to bear the
entire expense of putting them there.
They are unsightly and dangerous
and are the cause of many uncOmpli-
mentary remarks by strangers visit
ing us. AS soon as the cost of mater
ial reaches a point where it will be
possible and feasible to construct con-
crete walks within the city limits, 1
advise the passing of an ordinance
prohibiting wooden walks, and | rec
ommend also that as soon as possible
the expensive and unsatisfactory
wooden cross walks, be abolished.
Health and Police.
I have previously mentioned that
we have the making of one of the
loveliest cities in the northwest. or
anywhere else. Now eternal vigilance
is the price of all success, and a great
deal of work is necessary in the health
and police departments. Streets and
alleys should be kept scrupulously
clean; necessary scavengers should be
employed to remove everything Of
fensive, placed in the streets or al
leys by any citizen. Our force at the
present time is inadequate. In
great many instances housekeepers
have no method Of disposing of their
garbage, and this condition should be
remedied without any delay. Neither
merchants nor any other citizens
should be allowed to obstruct the
streets and alleys with boxes or debris
of an unsightly character. wagons
when not in use should not be allow
ed in the streets, and the time mas
nearly arrived when it will be nee
essary to bar trucks and other We
hicles for hire from making their
stand on the paved streets.
Walla Walla is, and will always re-
main, a school center. Our schools
are the principal attraction for far
mers and Others to make this their
home for the purpose of giving their
children an education, and we should
do everything to encourage TINS
growth We should SO far as posi-
BILE, remove temptations from the
young men and boys, and 1 recommend
the enforcing of the ordinance pro-
hibiting the sale Of liquors to minors.
Calls Attention to Gambling.
1 desire that my attitude toward
gambling, in all it's forms. be plain
ly understood and if it exists within
the city l shall demand that the nee
essary steps be taken to drive it from
our midst. There is not one redeem
ing feature about the whole miserable
proposition, neither is there one good
word that can be said in favor of It,
1t mas existed in different forms ever
since the beginning of time, conse-
quently We cannot expect to eXtermln-
ate it, but we can come so near abol-
fishing it from our city limits that II
will not be a desirable occupation for
anyone. Gambling in any form is
demoral'Zing l do not except any
phase of it, and the nickel-in- the slot
machine, as we'll as other forms, must
be taken into consideration. This nick
ell in the slot machine, whether played
for money or for merchandise, is the
gamblers kindergarten" Young men
and boys, having seen their elders
playing these machines. as they ad-
vance in years take hand at the
same business, thus acquiring a taste
| for this worse than useless habit;
and everyone, if he desires an article
owned by another, should be mannerly
enough to purchase the same leglti-
mately, giving value received for 1t.
Must Obey the Laws.
| Regarding our men who are doing
business under license, the great ma
| jority of them are law-abiding clti-
zens, and desire and intend to con-
| duct orderly pleasure resorts. A few,
/ however, overstep the bounds OF rea-
son, thus causing odium to fall upon
their abiding neighbOrs. Those
who are not observing the laws which
prohibit disorderly places must be
made to observe them or to find some
other occupation, and it is necessary
| that the red light district on Rose
street, between Third and Fourth
Streets be purified.
In the police department I have this
recommendation to make: That suf-