Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-03-29
A Big MASS MEETING
Large Number OF Voters Attend
ed Opera House Meeting.
A Lively Time Developed on city
Issues and Many Citizens Made
Speeches on the Same.

The mass meeting advertised for the
opera house last Friday night came off as
per schedule and large number Of our
citizens attended the same, all bent OF
discussing the important issues Of the city
or hearing others discuss the matter. AT
array OF figures had been prepared and
placed on the stage in plain sight compiled
from the books of the city showing its
financial condition.
The meeting was called to order by M
E. Peck presidentof the Belding Business
Mems Association and on motion of w. D.
Ballou, Editor E. B. Lapham was chosen
chairman of the meeting. Mr.. Lapham
arose and informed those present that he
objected, but his objection was over ruled
and he took the place of honor.
A program which had been partially
arranged for the occasion called for the
singing Of America" by the audience and
those in attendance who could sing made
the opera house ring with the strains OF
the national anthem,
At the close of the singing Mr.. Lapham
made few remarks in which he said he
believed it was a good thing for the cti-
zens to meet together on occasions Of this
kind and discuss important questions, he
was reminded of the words of Thomas
Hughes. one of the bright intellects of the
past, who said on one occasion TRY To
understand politics and study important
questions that arise so that you will
always be ready TO throw your influence
on the side of right We do not all see
things alike nor hear things alike and many
of US have different ideas as TO how a
city should be run. On the eve of election
it is well enough TO talk these matters
over so that when we vote il will be for
the best interests of the city, and its future
welfare. The chairman first called on
w. F. Bricker.
Mr.. Bricker said in commencing that
he had done nothing during his term OF
office that he was ashamed of. He be-
gan by reading his inaugural address to
the council last spring and paid a compH
ment to the aldermen who had been with
him during his term of office and saying
he believed each one had done his duty as
he saw it before him. As mayor of the
city he had stood and was still standing
on municipal ownership platform. Dur
ing his administration there had been no
expensive junkets for the city to paw for
city clerk Fisher and city attorney Shell
don had stood by him and both had work
ed with him in the interest Of the city, he
read figures from the cIty's books show
ing disbursements and receipts for the
past year. We have floating indebted
ness of S IS 80 and thought the city
should do something to care for it at once,
with the sewers and extra bridges and
other unexpected expenses the city had
found it necessary TO borrow money dur
of the city. He believed the water works
would be on paying basis in very few
years at best. We have a good city
made so by good schools, churches and by
the good clean men at the head of our
various factories and hoped it would con-
tlnue to be so.
w D. Ballou was pext called upon and
while Re SAID he had little to say himself
on the matter, he mad paper by T. w
Howard of the BeIdng Bros Silk Co
which he had been requested to read, we
publish this excellent document elsewhere
in this issue, after reading the paper Mr.
Ballou said he believed the council had
acted illegally in INJECTING this floating
debt upon us. Retrenchment is the cry
ing need of the hour, we cannot or rather
ought not to raise the valuations as that
clusion Of Mr. Ballou's remarks the chair
man announced song by Fred Cornell,
who sang with much skill. The man with
the Ladder and the Hose" and it was
loudly applauded
w. Washburn was next called for
and SAID in part, after looking at the ar
ray of figuers before us he did not see as
there was very much to say we will have
ID k.vL ~
in the past to say the least. He did not
believe that the water works would be on
a paying basis in one, two or even five
years. The proposition before US is GER
tainly serious one and it seems as
thoug we must increase the rate of taxa
ton in order to meet the floating debt.
E. E. Chapple was called on and said
that he was worried over the existing
conditions, that he was ia favor Of a sink
ing fund He held that the city could not
legally borrow money to make the float
ing Indebtedness, but since the city had
incurred the debt he thought it should be
met by bonds issued for that purpose, and
that in the future the city should live on
bread and treacle until it got where it
could afford roast beef and lamb. We
should keep within our income and pay as
rate Of taxation.
Ex-mayor Wilson was in favor Of pay
ing this floating Indebtedness this time
but he thought It should be put in the
charter that any member of the council
voting for the raising Of any monies in ex-
cess of the one per cent rate should be
subject to punishment for misdemeanor.
He also favored cutting off all side walk
rebates for this year which would help tc
reduce the city expense.
At the close Of his remarks the chair
man announced song by the High school
quartet which was neatly rendered and
fittingly applauded.
l. L Hubbell was called upon and said
that inasmuch as he was not candidate
for office he had no canned speech tc
offer, but he did believe that the short
time loans were illegal. The city car
make no errors but its officials can. The
state has laid down laws fer theIcity anc
the city is duty bound to respect them. i
the courts we're appealed to for an injunc.
ton restraining the city from paying thest
short time loans, they would have TO sal
that we could not pay It. He though