The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-06
THE CITY ELECTION.

THE CITY ELECTION.
No one should forget that the city
election will be held tomorrow.
This is what might be called an off
year in the municipal politics of cities
of the first class in Kansas-that is
the mayor and other administrative
officers of the city will not be elected.
So far as the officials are concerned
only half the members of the city
council and an equal number of the
members Of the schoo. board are to he
chosen. But there is question to be
settled at the election tomorrow that
is of far more importance than the Sc
lection of mayor, city clerk, city attor-
ney or all these officers.
The people are called upon to say
whether they wish to turn the import
ant duty Of lighting the city over to
the Edison light company and every
good citizen owes it to the municipali-
ty to go to the polls and register his
sentiments on this important question.
For twenty years the people have
lighted the streets without the assist
ance Of any corporation, domestic or
foreign. They have invested a large
sum of money in a lighting system
which has been in the main satisfac-
tory. Now they are to be called upon
to decide whether the lighting plant is
to be discarded, whether the people are
to turn their backs upon the principle
of municipal ownership to which they
have repeatedly pledged themselves
and entrust the important duty of
lighting the streets to a corporation for
profit.
The question has been discussed in
detail in these columns. 1t is unneces-
sary to reiterate the arguments. If
the people of Topeka are in favor of
paying the Edison company $4,000 per
year to light the streets (the amount
represented by the latest proposition
of the company then they ought to GO
to the polls tomorrow and say so. If
they are in favor of doing the lighting
themselves at whatever the actual cost
may be they should give expression to
their sentiments at the election tomor-
row.
The State journal believes that the
city electric light plant has saved
this city in taxes at least $4,000 by
reason of the fact that it has pro-
Tic light IOT lCSS Illdh oily SOA
poration was willing to offer till after
the city had demonstrated it's own
ability to light the city. When the
plant was built the best offer the
| city had was 1920 per lamp; a few
years ago the Edison company offered
| $50 as their price, now,if the city will
/ furnish its poles and wire $50 for a
weaker light than the city now fur
| nishes. The Edison could make
| money on a proposition of this kind
| for $40 or less.
| 1t is UP to the people and there
should be full vote, SO that this i'm
| portant question may be settled for all
time. The day after tomorrow will be
yourself to blame if you should neglect
| to vote and the result of the count
should show that what you believe is
| the best interests Of the city has been
| defeated by a minority expression OF
the voters Of the city. You owe 1t to
yourself and to the fairest city in the
| west to go to the election tomorrow
and cast your ballot.
| The contest for seats in the city
council is limited to one from each OF
! the six wards. There have been nc
| disgraceful scandals in the city coun-
| Gil of Topeka. The members are mer
who appear to have the best interests
| the city at heart and there is no good
reason for a change. Councilmen Jor.
| dan of the First ward, Holiday of the
| Second, Blakeley of the Third. Mont
gomery of the Fourth, Tandy of the
Fifth and Hughes Of the Sixth are al
| candidates for reelection. The STATE
Journal knows no reason why any o.
these men should be defeated. Som'
of them have been especially active
and faithful in uncovering the sewel
scandal in the Fifth and Sixth wards
and on this account alone deserve thu
endorsement of the people Of thei
| wards.
The election of six members of TIN
school board while important in itsel
| seems not to have stirred up much in
terest. There is no great issue involved
and aside from the fact that there 1
a woman, DR.. Eva Harding. asking 70
a place on the board the selection o
the six members Of the school board i
little more than formality.
ANENT MULES.