Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

stage of acuteness that demands some
plain talk. From the very start the
tax-paying citizens of Omaha have
been the victims Of a series of monu-
mental blunders, to use a mild term
at the hands of the hydraulic pOliti-
clans who have been engineering this
deep-laid plot. As a consequence,
after nearly four years of frujtless ag-
itation and costly litigation, The people
are confronted with the prospect Of a
forced loan Of S6,263,295, at which
the water plant has been officially APP
praised and which the water company
is asking the courts to enforce, with
the actual ownership and operation of
the plant by the city apparently no
closer than when the appraisers were
appointed. Whether the federal
courts, to whom the appraisement is
to be submitted, will hold for or
against the city in the final adjudica-
ton is yet to be determined after hear
ing and appeal, which competent law
yers declare will consume from two
years to three years more.
But the height of absurdity has
been reached by the action Of the
Water board in pretending to resclnd
it's own application for the appoint
ment of appraisers under the purchase
clause of the original contract between
the water company and the city, and
the adoption Of resolutions contem-
plating abandonment of all proceed
ings looking toward the requirement
of the existing plant and the construc-
ton by the city of new water system
to supply it's needs. In the first place,
the very existence of the present water
board rests on the bonds previously
voted to purchase the existing water
works, which alone gave the governor
jurisdiction to make his original APP
pointments under the compulsory pur-
chase law. But for this Omaha would
never have had a water board, and
were present proceedings abandoned
the official status of at least the two
governor-appointed members of the
board would be decidedly questionable.
Worse still, however, would be the
supposition that the suggestion that
the city proceed at once to build new
water plant were seriously intended
1t is conceded that proceedings under
the purchase clause of the contract
have progressed far enough to make a
law suit whose outcome is at least du-
bious. Suppose the city through its
all-wise water board should actually
commence construction of a new water
system and invest anywhere from
100000 upward in its construction
pending the outcome of this litigation?
Suppose, further, that when the final
decision came down the decree should
be that the appraisement is binding
on the city and that it must buy the
works from the present company,
What position would we be in with
two water works systems on our hands
and colossal debt accumulated along
with them approximating not $6.263,.
900, but closer to $lO,OOO,0OO?
The truth is that the water works
situation has placed Omaha In a pre-
carious position from which 1t can be
extriCated only by the efforts of oul
shrewdest, most far-seeing and most
philosophical citizens, Only three
possibilities are before us; We mus
either pursue the present litigation b
its end, taking a chance on an adverse
decision, be content even with a favor
able decision to be put back where VIZ
started and compelled to go over tn,
whole proceedings anew, or we mus
get 70 some mutually satisfactory ar
rangement with tho owners OF tn,
water company, II we are to have
compromise, we can perfect the pur
chase through concessions from tn
water company as to price. or We ca
waive municipal ownership for tn
present and make new contract witt
the water company at stipulated rate
for both hydrant service and privat
consumption,
In discussion Of this question no
long ago one of the newspaper spokes
men for the Water board declared tn
real dificulty to be that Omaha is no
now able to deal with the real owner
Of the water works." but only with tn
officers In control, who have little in
terest in the company, This may o
may not be true, bat the people reall
interested in Omaha are likewise mis-
represented by a water board and II
, attorneys who seem anxious only {
nerpetuate lucrative salaries and IA
attorneys fees. II we are to have an
! negotiations with the real owners {
the water works they will have TO b
: carried on by some arbitration con
mittee of property owners and bus
ness men, who can take up the prol
lens from a broad and unbiased view
: point and guard the true interests {
i the taxpayers, for whom an early an
complete settlement of the dispute
7 greatly to be desired.
AN OKLAHOMA SENATORIAL SCHEM