The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-08
MUNICIPAL VICTORY.


decisive vote to enlarge their
lighting plant and not entrust the
important duty of Illuminating the
city to a corporation for profit.
The assault on the system which
a bitter one. The Edison company
gave the people to understand that
municipal lighting had been a failure,
not only in Topeka but in every city
where it has been tried; they at
tempted by an array of figures which
were not borne out by analysis to
prove their position; they enlisted the
officers of the Commercial club in
their behalf and in a packed meeting
pledged the Commercial interests of
the city to their cause; they attempted
by injudicious and misleading adver-
Using in newspaper favorable to
their interests to force the voters to be-
lieve that the business men and tax
payers of Topeka were in favor of
dismantling the city light plant and
farming out the contract for lights to
the Edison company.
In the face of all these influences
the people have decided by an over
ihaJOiily III CtOfy PACSihCI
that they prefer to continue to do the
street lighting and that they are fully
able to attend to their own business
without the assistance or Intervention
of any private corporation. They
have reaffirmed their belief in the
municipal ownership of public utili-
ties in no uncertain tones.
The State journal has done what
it could to enlighten the people on
this important municipal question
with no feeling of rancor or bitter
ness. 1t was satisfied that the city
has been saved thousands of dollars
by doing it's own lighting during the
past twenty years and could find no
good reason why the plant should be
wrecked, the contract given to the
Edison company or any other private
corporation. Topeka has good reason
to be proud of the record made by
the light plant and it surely would
have been poor policy from a BUSH
ness or any other standpoint to dis
card the system which has done such
noble service to the municipality and
adopt one which at best would not
be an improvement over what the
city now possesses and will extend
and improve.
If Topeka had failed yesterday to
sustain it's city lighting plant and de-
clined to improve and extend it, the
action would have been heralded over
this entire country as another
municipal light failure and there
would have been great joy in the House
of the Lighting Corporations whose
chances for profit are reduced and fol-
franchises withheld.
The vote is a remarkable compliment
to the council for it's wisdom in put
ting it's lighting system into the hands
of a commission; to the mayor for his
fine choice and excellent judgment in
the commissioners named and to the
commission itself in whom the voters
have SO overwhelmingly voiced theil
confidence that they will do the right
thing, put the plant up to date and
spend wisely only so much of money
as is necessary.
The people are to be congratulated
on this splendid victory for municipal
| lighting
Charles G. Blakely's rather enor-
| nous plurality of more than seven
| hundred in his contest for council
| man from the Third ward. is a fitting
testimonial to his worth as a public
servant. He not only has the conf.
| dence of the voters of his home ward
but also of the people of the whole
city.
Prophesying is an uncertain bust.
ness at it's best and an equally un.
| satisfactory one. but it is safe tt
| say that there are two men in Topeka
who are not satisfied with the way
| the election turned out: c. K. Holli.
day and E. Montgomery.
| Even though the election ha.
| changed the personnel of the city
council in a couple Of instances, ths
people can rest assured that the ad.
ministration of the affairs of the cit,
| will be conducted in the same care
full and excellent manner that they
have been during the past year OF
| so.
| 1t would appear that c. K Holli
days embryonic boom for mayor ha.
received something Of serious pune
| ture.
| 'I'd rather be councilman from
the Second ward of Topeka than king
of England has been a favorite ex
preston with G. K. Holiday and h,
woke up this morning to find that h,
| was neither.
There is no doubt that it pays t,
| advertise, but 1T is always q goot
plan to be careful in the selection o
the advertising medium and the pre-
paration of the copy. For particular
inquire of Topeka Edison company
1886 Kansas avenue.
| Topekans have well know
reputation for being business peopl