Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-07-19

pHesent eisy government:
Las Vegas. n. A.. July u, 1896.
Mr. X. d. Cooiail. Mayer.
Dear sir:-In yiex a. chat has
occurred In the city council. and the
aevspzper comments thesecn. II h
due b. ourselves and friends. that our
side of the questions Involved should
Be presented. We therefore write
yoa this open letter i'm Justification
1t the ourse We have pursued
The recent election sss held upon
the agreement and Understanding u
III parties that the city zdminissra.
stna should b. mn bipartisan. liberal
- strictly business. I'm Which mat.
sers relating 10 the pubic interest
shnald BE- considered and determined
On their merits alone. free from
eitques. rings or political considera-
ttos.
In that spirit We entered o. eoun.
ell men upon Nj duties. II was sooa
discovered that Mr.. Eisood vas not
legally = member Of the city oan
ell. that be lived and had his inter.
eets On the west side outside Of 10th
u city and the yard he pretended 10
reSresent. and the ward Vas dissatis-
Nd. - we're = large portion Of the
rssidenss u the city with that coudi.
des. and . struggle began between
the citizens Of the first ward and Mr.
Elsood To get him out of the council.
- that the voters Of that ward might
select Q resident Of the ward 10 repre-
seat them. In this struggle You fonk
= leading and prominent part TO hold
Mr., Elwood In the council against the
viii of Ward No. l.
Mr.. Eiwood. q nonresident. both
Of the ward and the city. defied pub.
Tic sentiment and the wishes Of the
ward and by your assistance remain,
Cd In the council. until a petition vas
circulated and signed by a large body
of the people Of the ward asking him
to resign.
This was the first time In the his,
tory OF the county or city where an
officer elect was asked To resign.
Confronted with this demand from
his neighbors and former supporters
ers aud by an almost unanimous pub.
Tie sentiment In the city. Mr.. EIwood
finally recognized the justice Of the
demands made upon him to resign
30 that the people of the ward nigh,
chose his successor. and he rendered
his resignation. This was accented nv
the city council and at the time Of
the acceptance you were BY almost
unanimous vote Of all the councilmen
present. directed 10 call an election
In the first ward to fill the
10 that the people themselves might
choose a member to suit themselves
This was a fair solution Of the oues
ton. II referred the naming of n sue.
cessor back TO the people Of the ward
where u belonged. You had a plain
duty before you aud that vas to call
the election. let the people speak and
make their own selection.
Did you do so? Not by any means
Tor the reason that you wanted a man
WHOM the people Of the ward did not
want. They wanted a man to serve
the Interests Of the ward and do their
VIII. Sou wanted "A ma who vou,a
vote on all measures as O desired
to enable You and your immediate
friends ito control the council,
To defeat the will of the peopla and
To turn over the council to a ring of
your friends, you began to scheme and
conniYe IN defeat the resolution. You
refused 10 obey the resolution ri The
ts"ano'i directing an election In Ward
No, and sought 10 fnTce on that ward
n ma satisfactory n III. whose vote
you could and would e0ntrnl
VIZ are opposed to hosslsr,, ~ n
nan power and In favor OF tho risht
OF the people 10 rule. You have n,
moral or legat right 10 dictate the
policy of the council or to seek per,