Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-18

EDITOR OF THE HERALD


issue of bonds in order that the city
may take over the electric light
plant. OF course, Mr.. Bennett has
no more interest in the plant than
has Mr.. Miller, and no such scheme
has been suggested, except in Mr..
Miller's mind and for election pur.
poses; but in view of the fact that
the story is being widely circulated,
and that some may give it credence,
l wish you would be SO kind as to
lend me space sufficient to show
how powerless any mayor would be
to accomplish such an end through
his official position.
In the first place, if a mayor, or
any orther city officer is interested
directly or Indirectly in any inn
provement or contract in which the
city is party, the law provides
that the contract shall be absolutely
void, and that the city shall incur
no liability thereon.
Statutes of 1898, Sec. 925-255.
In the second place, the law de-
clares that no bonds shall be issued
by any town, city or village until
the proposition for their issue for
the special purposes shall have been
submitted to the people and adopted
by a majority voting thereon.
Sanborn's Supplement to Stat. of
1898, Sec. 943
To the above there are the fol
lowing exceptions, to be found IN
Chap. 235, Laws of 1907.
The council has authority to issue
bonds for a number of purposes, in
Guiding the following: water.
works, sewers and drains. lighting
a0Orks for streets, public buildings and
hospitals, and in cities of other than
the first class for the construction
and operation of lighting a0orks to
supply the city and its Inhabitants aoitb
electric or other light"
mo such bonds shall Oe Used un-
less authorized by an ordinance
adopted by vote in favor OF the
same of at least thHee-fourths Of all
the members of the common cOun
ell elect, said vote to be at reg
ular meeting, not less than one week
after the proposed ordinance shall
have been published in the official
paper of the city. In case of bonds
issued for street improvements,
school purposes, waterworks, light
ing aOOrks for streets and public build
ipags, hospitals, dredging, docking,
river and other harbor improve
ments, sewerage, parks and public
grounds, vote of the people of the
city shall not be required unless
within thirty days after the pas
sage by the common council of the
city of the ordinance authorizing the
issuing of bonds for such purposes
there shall be filed IN the Office of
the city clerk petition III writing
signed by not less than ten per cent
In number of the voters who voted
in said city at the last general state
election, asking for submission of
the question of issuing such bonds
to vote of the people, in which
case such question shall be sub
mitted as provided IN section 943;
provided, that no such bonds shall
be issued so that the amount there
of together with all other indebted.
ness of the city. shall exceed five
per cent Of the assessed valuation
of the property therein at the last
assessment for the state and coun
ty taxes previous to the mourning
of such Indebtedness.
! 1t will be seen from the above,
that the council would have Nc
power to authorize bonds to take
over the electric light plant, with
out submitting the proposition tC
vote at the outset; for the plant il
not, and could not be operated as,
a plant 'for streets and public build
ings, but is plant ''tO supply Mt
city and its Inhabitants" with light,
and is not within the exception.
If it were an excepted case, still a
vote of three foatrtbs of all the a1e11kers
elect of the council would be requir-
ed, and at that ten per cent of the
voters could require the submission
of the proposal to popular vote at
any time within thirty days. And,
to boo5, if 1t were an excepted ease,
the mayor could not be counted in
making up the three fourths; he
has no vote except in case of a tie.
The yarn which calls forth this
statement is perhaps shade better
calculated to make votes for Miller
than his sudden pose as a temper
ance" advocate. The latter position
would mislead no one; but the
electric light fiction might brighten
some who are uniformed.