Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-04-10
SPECIAL ELECTION FRIDAY.
Citizens Of Decorah Will Vote Upon Electric
Railway Franchise This Week.

On next Friday the citizens OF De-
corah will be given an opportunity to
vote a franchise to the Minneapolis,
Rochester and Dubuque Traction Com
pany, for the use of the streets of De-
corah for their proposed electric
railway. There is every reason why
this franchise should be. granted and
not single valid reason why ii
should not be. 1t proposes to give the
people of Decorah and the territory
through which it runs an institution
of inestimable value, while it asks in
return practically nothing. At a
recent election at Cresco, the citizens
of that place in three wards voted
unanimously for the franchise, not a
vote against it, No harm can possibly
be done even if the railroad should
not be built. But every step in the
advancement of the enterprise appears
to bring it closer to the actual work
OF building. Men are behind it who
have abundant capital and resources
and the people along the line are
taking hold of the matter with a
spirit that forebodes success.
The innumerable advantages to be
gained by granting this franchise and
the building of the road need not be
repeated here. Any person of ordin-
ary Judgment can easily discern its
great value TO the city of Decorah and
the surrounding territory. Speed
the time when we will be able to step
from our homes into modern electric
palace car, and within n few mo-
ments visit the magnificent farming
communities southeast and northwest
of Decorah, or within a few hours
land in ST. Paul. Dubuque or Chi
cago. But why elaborate This is
an opportunity to gain much and lose
nothing. We hope that every citizen
will vote for the franchise. 1t is your
duty, if you are in favor of public
progress.
Down in Clayton county they have
been having all kinds of trouble with
their county officers. Charges of
graft, of embezzlement and misappro-
priation of county funds were made.
and finally two experts were employed
to investigate the different offices.
Now comes the information that for
years the Board of Supervisors has
been fiagrantly disobeying the law in
refusing to publish many things
which the statutes require to be pub
lished. These two facts go hand in
hand. Publicity is the recognized
safety valve on the side OF the COM
mon people. The representatives of
the people are constantly passing laws
requiring greater publicity in all pub
lie matters, and the parsimonious
county supervisor who hopes to save
few dollars by curtailing the publi-
cation bill, thus keeping matters
secret which should be spread before
the public, ought TO be given che full
extent Of the law. If we were run
ming an official county newspaper in
Clayton county we would hire a
stenographer and typewriter. go to
the Auditors office, copy the complete
record of the proceedings of the
Board, including township trustees
road reports. county officers reports,
etc.. publish the same, and collect pay
for the same, including fees of steno-
grapher and typewriter. Then ii this
didn't have the desired effect we
would go after the supervisors. The
law defines their duties. and they
should be compelled to perform them,
the same as any other officer.
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