Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-05-30
CALLING "A BLUFF
j. M. spicer. Of This City. De-
c1ares The Poorhonse
Idea q Buff -
RAISES ANTE AND PUTS up So, 500

Urges City Ownership Of the Telephone
and Declare. for Absolutely
FREQ Connections With
All Farmer Lines.
EDITOR W1LLMAR TRIBUNE: In last
weeks issue of the Republican Gazette
appeared an article, "Donations in
Order" in which Mr.. D. N. Tallman
and Mr.. A. E. Rice each agreed to do
nate a thousand dollars to provide q
home for the poor of this city if I
would donate q like amount for the
same purpose.
On condition that such sums are de-
posted with the city treasurer by Mr..
Tallman and Mr.. Rice, within ten
days from this date, I have deposited
with the said treasurer my 81, 900 to be
used as stated above.
however do not recall my offer to
donate to the city my stock in the Will
mar Telephone Exchange as contained
in the W1LLMAR TRIBUNE of May q,
and beg this opportunity to state my
reasons whyI think the city should
own it's own telephone exchange.
believe that by the city owning
and operating its own telephone ex-
change, that it's patrons will receive
better local service, that satisfactory
arrangements can be made with all
connecting lines, especially with the
farmers lines, which would enable
the business men of this city to call up
their friends and patrons in the nearby
villages and in the country without
being obliged to pay, as they do now,
an amount equal to the railroad fare
to such points. Personally want to
see the farmers of this county, who
have telephone connections with this
city, have local telephone services
WHICH SHALL BE ABSOLUTELY
FREE OF EXPENSE to them and by
so doing I think we can Offset, to a
large extent, the great benefits accru-
ing to the big catalogue houses by
reason of rural mail services, etc.,
and we can insure to the local exchange
more liberal patronage, locally, and
to the business men of this city a
wider field in their respective lines OF
business.
My acceptance of the above propo-
sition is not made to further any poll
tical ambitions of mine, nor do have
any money to make restitution of to
the poor of the city, but it is freely
donated.
I have however come to the conclu-
sion, after talking the matter over
with number of business men, that
poor house for the city is neither a
necessity or plan of economy and !
am firmly convinced that it would cost
more to maintain such a home than il
costs at the present time to care fo1
the worthy poor, and further I think
that the county will soon establish 9
county poor farm and we do not need
two institutions of that kind.
While I do not approve of the
methods employed in this matter anG
regret that such state of affairs
should exist, and that without the
least provocation men who presume tt
befair minded and stand for something
better should use this means and know
ing full we'll that the proposition q.
contained in the "Gazette" was in
tended for bluff, pure and simple,
have this proposition to make.
Let us make our efforts worth Will,
and give such an amount as we woult
really like to give in some direction
where it would be of some purpose, a!
the poor house plan looks neither
needed or praiseworthy.
Icame to this city with few dollars
and engaged in business with Mr.. An
drew Larson, who had not much NOR
than / had. We have both enioye,
fair financial success. Let us let Mr.
Larson into the game. He will enjo,
giving as much as the rest of us. LIE
US drop the 100000 proposition an
replace it with $25O0.00 each so tina
we four may donate 100000 to tn
city to be used for City Hall, Poo
House or City Hospital.
feel assured that we four will al
be pleased to have this opportunity c
donating to the city to which we a
came when poor and in which we hav
all made our homes for at least
decade, and in which we have all pros
pered to such an extent that this dona
tion would be but trifiing sacrifc
and very little financial loss. w
know that each of US will gladly Civ
the amount stated, knowing that eac
gives the same freely and voluntaril
from out of our own pockets and nc
by any contribution from others.
Ihave deposited with the city trea.
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