The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-18
EAST S|DERS GROWING
HOT UNDER COLLAR
Continued from page one.)

Continued from page One)
"The subject has been ventilated before
the present committee as never before.
II has been shown beyond the remotest
chance for argument that at least nine
tenths-probably. more--of the taxpayers
on the East side. as well as the best engi-
neering authorities In the city. consider
q tunnel the only practical and satisfac-
tory solution OF the problem.
"It has been shown. too, not only by es-
Inmates. but by direct and DEFINITE
proposition by two responsible contrac-
tors, that a tunnel can be constructed at
a cost much less than that OF the inade-
quate and unsatisfactory plans OF George
b. Francis.
"All this has been demonstrated beyond
the chance OF argument. Yet, the COM
nittee not only does nothing, but it's
chairman Is even quoted as saying that
public hearings do not reflect popular
sentiment. while other members OF the
committee have intinated plainly that the
taxpayers don't know what they want
Now. all this sort OF talk Is the veri-
est rot. The members OF that committee
e. are either so weak minded that they
know no better. so prejudiced that they
are trying to fool themselves into such
belief. or so tightly bound by a political
collar that they dare not perform that
which they know to be their plain duty
They can hardly be supposed to desire
Z to write themselves down as fools. even
though they rate the East Side taxpayers
as such and there is simply no escaping
= the conviction that behind all this monkey
business on the part OF the committee is
the power OF the traction company, which
is generally believed to own the city coun-
Gil, a belief that the committee seems to
be doing its best to confirm.
with so capable a city engineer as
Mr. Clapp what necessity was there for
employing George b. Francis? None. ex-
cept the purpose OF dragging In the for
mer engineer OF the street railway COM
pany, whose ideas were perfectly under
stood in advance and who IL was known
would submit what would be pleasing to
that corporation.
when the utter inadequacy and highly
unsatisfactory character OF his plans was
demonstrated, both by laymen and by
experienced engineers. ana Wnen the SUI
perior advantages OF a tunnel and the
unquestioned sentiment OF those most In
tereeted were equally plainly shown. what
occasion was there for 'urther delay
None, except TO Please The traction COM
pany.
"The fact is, the whole situation is as
we'll understood by the taxpayers on the
East Side as II is by the politicians at the
city hall: and the feeling among US Is
growing 80 intense that there will have
60 be something doing mighty soon-if not
In one way. then in another.
IF the present city council doesn't in
tend to do its plain duty We will find
way 10 ascertain the fact that once ascer-
tained. we will find a way TO obtain that
consideration from our public servants
and that obedience 10 our Just demands
10 which we are en'<.ed.
There In another election coming next
fall. whether the city hall politicians re-
alize that fact or not. The present city
council may have II In Its power TO stave
US OF until next year; but the East Side
taxpayers cast a few votes In this city.
and by all that's holy we'll have some
thing 70 ay next fall a 10 whether we
shall be represented at the city hall by
our servants or by those OF the railroad
company
This is a matter that never should be
IN politics at all: but II that IL the only
way in which this section Of the city can
secure just consideration, well put II into
politics In such a way as 20 teach some
people a good lesson.
I'm not speaking for myself aione-not