Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-04-06

DItStlll Ut lnS ItpuDllttll llltttlilS I6Iu
ON last Friday night, for the purpose
OF saying something upon what Is in
issue in the approaching city election
but imperative official duty made II
impossible for me to be present,
Therefore. | now wish to say in print
some portion at least Of what ! might
haVe said orally could | have been
present at the meeting
The democratic convention candi-
dates and public speakers have unfair
~ attempted to make a political issue
out of the question of what must be
done to provide an adequate sewerage
system for the city, They have as
serted that the withdrawal from sub
mission to the voters of the proposed
issue Of 100000 Of sewer bonds, can
only be construed to mean that the
republicans are committed TO the plans
contained in the city engineers report
requiring the expenditure Of nearly
100000. In their last publication.
signed by their candidates and given
TO the public on April f. they declare
that the republicans "haVe committed
themselves to the adoption of plans
which will necessitate the issue Of
100000 Of bonds.
II is impossible TO imagine any
thing which can be farther from the
truth than these statements, and il is
only disngenuous and distorted
mind which can put any such con-
structon upon what the republicans
have done From beginning to end,
in the city council, there was abso-
lutely no discussion or division Of
opinion on the sewer bond PROPOSE
ton Republicans and democrats
alike voted In favor Of submitting the
question to the people and alike
voted in favor of Withdrawing it, It
was a democrat in the council who
70 i'm in hp
ordinance Of the figures $500. 600, and
the council was unanimous on that
question. There cannot be adduced
single word of evidence to show
that republicans, as party. or as
individuals, are committed to any
plans. There can be but one object in
making these essentially dishonest
Statements, that is to distract atten-
ton from what really is in issue in
the present campaign, as hereinafter
shown,
on this sewer question, the repub-
lican candidates have distinctly pledg-
ed themselves to employ the best ex-
pert who can be had to investigate
and report upon the best method OF
making the sewers adequate for the
growing needs of the city, and then to
submit the question to the voters for
their approval one might be led to
believe, from what has been given
out by the democratic, that republican
victory at this election would mean
tho immediate issue of the s400, 600 Of
bonds and the creation Of a great add
dition to our public debt when, us
every citizen ought to know, such an
issue Of bonds can never be made UNI
less approved by the people them
selves No question Is now to be de-
cided in this election as to the issue OF
that amount or any other amount
of bonds and it will be time enough
to discuss the merits of amy proposed
issue when it is actually proposed and
submitted to the popular vote.
The democratic candidates assert
that they can construct an adequat,
sewer system and provide well-gradeG
streets at cost much less than one
half OF the $400, 900, and | am inform.
ed that at the meeting on Saturday
night several experienced and sCieu-
tific sewer-ConstTuctors Of the demo
cratic party asserted that an adequate
sewer system could be constructed foi
stll less, one putting il as low a,
100000 with all due respect to Tho
great knowledge ana experience u
these seWer-builders, any candid mai
would say that our city engineer
graduate of one of the best schools o
technology in the world is better abb,
to make estimates of cost than they
possibly can be. Twenty years agC
the sewer system, which, with mi
merous additions and extensions ha
been in operation up to the prcsen
time. The city today is three time
as large as it was then, and the sewc
system in the part Of the city west o
the railroad tracks is now in sucl
condition as to be Of but little fu
ture value.
The real and only issue. however
i'm this election, is as to whether tn,
movement which republicans have in
augurated, against democratic oppo
sition, to restrain, regulate, and !
necessary, to destroy, the vicious ant
laWlcss element connected with tn
conduct of the business of retail liz
uor dealers and kindred haunts u
vice, shall receive the endorsement
and support of a majority Of tn
voters, or not, 1t is a notorious fac
that the democratic ticket is roceiy
ing the practically solid support q
the liquor interests. notwithstanding
the statement in the democratic plat
form Of opposition to any reduction q
the amount Of the liquor license. .
is also notorious fact that the slloO
keepers have been saying that IL the
can only elect certain democratic can
dldatcS to the council, they. with IN
two hold-over democrats, who. Iron
beginning to end. steadily voted Il
opposition to the high license aud
favor OF every proposition made 0
behalf Of the liquor sellers, will b
a majority Of the council. and tina
the license Will certainly be reduced
1t may be true as MI Field assertc
al the Saturday night meeting tina
nc saloon keeper has contributed 4
the democratic campaign fund, al
though in making this assertion. Nj
Field necessarily relies upon inform1
ton from others and he may be mis-