The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1906-01-13
CITY OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
The Ligll5 4 Water Question

space t, phases Of this question,
which had been previously PRESSED
upon the attention of the puhllc,
but the subject was not exhausttd'
Much more could be said, on bolh
sides, advocating the contentious
of each in an effort to show why
the Other should surrender. 1t Is
not the purpose of this article to
cast any reflections upon any IN
far from IT. We rerog-
niZc that inc present members Oh
the Board Of commissioners oL The
Electric Light and water plant
has done possibly all in its power
for the best interes' of the plant
from it's view point, but It's help
iesSneSS in any course that is NOT
supported by the City Council ~
most fOrcefulIy made apparent III
the card signed by the members
y Ilicu we reproduced last week
By that card they clearly show
that without the city treasury
being literally open to them, lats
cannot maintain the plant ON II
responsible basis It's own resOur
ccs will not accomplish this drs.r
able end
rho commissioners, as We have
previously seized, are serving the
public without compensation
whatever. ~ its very best they
get a very doubtful measure Of
:'thanks' 70; their time, thought
and energy. If successful in Their
management, the public shows its
satisfaction n its silence. II
aught goes amiss the public is no,
slow to critlciSe the management
The commissioners can have but
Cle legitimate object-that is, to
give the public the most reliable
service possible. The discharge of
this duty gives neither the com
mission, nor any individual mem
Der thereof, any special prominence
in the community-in fact we
dare say, that so per ct of the
patrons of the plant cannot name
the individual members of the
commission without reference to
memoranda. The public has no
voice in their appointment, takes
little interest in their being,
neither cOmpensates nor cOmmends
for a good service we'll rendered =
only censures when the service
is below standard. Then why
this fight in the cOurts'
BY this course they have alien
ated the sympathes of the City
Councll-the biggest capital the
commission could have at this
stage of the development of the
plant-and condition that can
never be won by any edict Of the
Court.
By this course they have put
spoke in the wheel Of their own
successes and that of the plant
What glory can there be. like
Samson, in pulling down the
temple upon themselves!
If the City Council has to play
the part Of "uncle" to the plant,
then, in all reason, there should be
the largest measure possible of
sympathy bet ween the two. There
should be no resort TO the courts.
The public's best interest would
be subserved by gracefully retlr-
ing. There would be neither
sacrifice of principle or capital to
the commissioners in so doing.
The new appointees would have
the cordial co operation of the
Council in the up-bullding Of the
plant "a thing 10 be most desired
"a thing hardly possible for the
present board even should its
members be thrice successful in
the courts with the present snit
This Council, having to pay the
authorized obligations of the
plant for the next three and
half years, and believing that they
are right in their understanding
Of the language of the city's. new
will ID all probability
press the suit to the end.
The present stated condition of
the plant, and the want OF any
in its service, is very
largely chargeable to the signers