Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-07-03
A SERIOUS MISTAKE.

The most pathetic as well az lament
able mistake made by the city council
in recent years, If ever, was the de-
feat Of the paving ordinance last
night. Pathetic because the growth
and improvement Of the city must
suffer because Of wanton disregard
for the expressed will Of the majority
In the June election on the question Of
temperance. In other words the
action of the four members OF the
council who voted against and de-
feated the paving ordinance last night
favored q continuance Of saloons at
tho election and their action
was nothing more or less than retalia-
tion. 1t is significant fact that all
had favored paving prior to election.
Again it il lamentable because the
streets outlined in the Improvement
ordinance needed paving, and twice
the .amount Of money spent in any
other city improvement could not
have resulted in more lasting i'm
provement for the city Of Grants Pass,
no investment could have more thor
oughly impressed the stranger or cas-
ual- visitor, nor have been greater
inducement to the prospective iuves-
tor to locate in this city.
A peculiar feature Of the defeat Of
the pavement ordinance and one which
will scarcely be laughed out Of court
is that the council has been a unit In
favor Of paving up until last nighgt's
meeting. One Of the members who
voted against the measure last night
had been the most active champion OF
paving and city improvement in gen
eral. Why then this sudden change
OF hearth The town went dry; we viii
therefore, block all public improve
ments; We cannot allow II to 20 out
that Grants Pass is going ahead IL
spite Of the fact that the saloons wer,
closed. This, in sum and substance. IL
all there is TO the defeat Of the pave
ment ordinance. For every temper
anoe man on the council supported th,
measure both before and after the
June election. Those in favor oi
license were equally in favor Of the
measure until last nights session,
when they alone defeated the paving
ordinance.
This attitude falls far below the
dignity and purity Of puerility; II
were proclamation to designate 1t al
such. IL is. moreover. ioonoclastic.
Retaliation and the boycott have
scarcely. II ever, been more than do.
trimentai to progress and prosperity
and in most cases have acted as a
boomerang to the party by whom they
we're employed.
II would be a sad thing indeed to
conclude that Grants Pass cannot live
without saloons. But it is even more
pathetic that those who feel that way
will exert themselves in every way
possible to retard the progress and i'm
provement Of the city because they
we're defeated at the polls There ii
Yet one opportunity for those who
voted against the pavement ordinanc,
last night to not only redeem them
selves in the eyes Of the public bot /,
show that they are still for greater
and better Grants Pass, and that is Il
reconsider last nights vote at futur,
meeting of the council Il is eviden
that n majority Of the property owner
abutting the proposed district iayo
paving; there were not enough sigma
lures TO the remonstrance to indicat,
otherwise, The suggestion that it will
be a hardship ON those in the distric
OF that we cannot afford il, is inter
minsble. No town. large or small
has ever made u public improvement
without assuming obligation. an,
no one In Grants Pass perhaps, ha
even heard of city being taken I