The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-11-20

to prevent the execution of the rail-
roaded paving contracts. hold in court
the city Of walla Walla will be placed
in a most embarrassing position as re-
CARDS the issuance OF Improvement
bonds. water bonds and like financial
transactions. in which the vote Of
Councilman Glasford was in the affirm
ative and the deciding vote. 1t will
result in legal ~entanglements which
are likely to set back the municipal
progress for a year or more.
Because of this it is to be hoped
the courts will not find it necessary to
open the door to endless litigation by
ruling that Glasford has occupied his
office illegally since his assumption Of
the duties of building Inspector At
the same time it would be regrettable
were there no relief from the dictated
action of the city councilmen in reck-
lessly putting through those paving
contracts-not for the benefit of the
people, but to serve the Warren Con-
struction company.
To obtain such relief and escape from
the thralldom Of the greedy paving
company, the property owners must
depend upon the courts and abide by
a decision which may bring them more
or less difficulties to contend with in
other directions in the future. 1t may
happen the forthcoming decision will
be based solely on the legality of the
acts of Councilman McKean-or it may
be the decision will affect adversely
the legal standing of Councilman Glas-
ford. In the former event the COM
planning property owners will be win
ners. In the latter event they will be
winners and the city and taxpayers at
large will be losers. The notification
of past action by the council cannot
but result disastrously, endanger the
city's credit and stop all improve
ments.
No matter whether this does or
does not, come to pass, the people
should take serious thought of the
conditions which have brought about
the predicament-made possible the
setting up of such legal contention.
They must not forget the men VINO
are responsible for such conditions
They must not overlook the fact that
the taxpayers and property owners are,
in a measure, responsible for the de-
faint attitude of this or that council
man.
That the property owners are to
blame to certain degree, cannot be
gainsayed. And that blame lies in the
Indifference expressed tentatively in
the sentence, I am not my brothers
keeper" Paraphrased it would mean
that so long as your own individual
property was not affected, it concerns
you little as to what your neighbor suf-
fers. Wherein lies the success of the
paving companys Vaccinations.
The company and it's councilman c
agents do not move UPON the entire
body of property owners. Their insid-
ious approach is piece by piece, district
a district are affected at any one time,
the company DIES not nee3 t. meet
the solid, irivincible~ array of public
opinion. The property owners of one
district appear not to care for what
concerns the owners of another district
Too late they awaken to the fact that
their own interests have been assailed.
1t is because of this collective indif-
ference that the paving company and
the councilmen obeying it's behests are
able to put through unjust ordinances,
reeking with graft. 1t is because of
this that the owners in one district
have been obliged to resort to the
courts even though they imperil the
advancement of the municipality.
The taxpayers and owners of proper
ty of Walla Walla must awaken. They
| must be brought to a realization of the
fact that what is menacing to one is
| dangerous to ALL Continued apathy
will result in more robber paving con-
tracts.
The remonstrance of a district has
| already been overridden by those col
larwearing councilmen. The protest OF
a city may later be ignored.