The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-03-25

protect itself by refusing to grant
other franchises.
What makes it difficult for cities
to engage In these lines of business Ia
the unwatranted liberality of the city
councils in granting franchises which
cannot be cancelled when the city
wants to go into the business itself.
The ffameless correspondent OF the
Glacier may have extraordinary busi-
ness seumen and would need more
than be has exhibited II be could
work out his revenue theory In actual
practice. We imagine that there are
certain expenses connected with the
maintenance and operation OF water
systems which his experience has not
covered, for instance the much talked
Of Dslies system has an annual re-
venue Of $28, 600 to $50, 900 out Of
which the expenses are paid and
enough left to pay but $1,000 per an
nun toward reducing the indebted
pess, while "Tax Payer" is going to
get 80, 600 with competitive system
more than the total p eseut revenue
and pay profit of $500 tb ttrst
year. Men who have the ability TO
b8ndle business on any such basis can
command much better salaries than
any Of the officials of the Light &
Water Company draw and We can cite
him to a number Of good positions up
on furnishing proper credentials and
references. People who have business
to transact are looking hard for just
such men.
We made refer ence two weeks ago to
the bonding Of Deighboring city
where fhe bonds were Sold seventeen
months too soon and cost the public
over SIT, 900 and In addition to this
1t became necessary to bring legal pro-
ceediDgs to get the money paid out of
the hank when the warrants were
drawn. The bank failed few years
later. The control of money raised
by selling city bonds for building a
city water sys,em is nice banking
proposition, especially when the
source Of supply is in such location
that 1t is necessary to pass through a
lot of valuable farms and gardens
where there 10 apt to he litigation Tor
right of way which would probably
take several years Il the money
should be In proper hands who could
keep these right Of way matters 10
court as long as they wished. S75, GOO
or 100000 would help the deposit
balance amazingly and with the ue.
mand for loans here would torn q
nice revenue and the longer IL lasted
The lore the revenue to the bank.
Municipal ownership" and "ma-
{nx n.A t.a
disgruntled and ambitious citizens ia
get under as q pretext for satisfy ing
their ambitions for revenge, jots.
and deals whereby they can teed al
the public crib In case the city Roes
into the water business at any future
time and 1t is FUR to assume that il
will do so, there are some necessary
changes to I've made In the city charter
but 1t is not necessary to hold mtre
than one election, all of which v III
carry with little or no opposition,
whenever the proposition ONES ul
In proper and reasonable form and
Is put squarely before the people
The bonded irrigation district in
our midst is now advertising it's third
issue Of bonds while the first issue oil
$50, 600 was supposed when Issued to
have been sufficient to construct the
system but the debt will lie $50, ,GoC
more than the original estimate. This
indeed, Is unfortunate hut the same
10 true OF many public enterprises,
where 1t Is easy to bond for money
and when The first issue is made and
the work not complete, more money
must be voted OF that already spent
will be lost. is there q single voter
In the city. who does not believe
that two thirds of the voters will vote
for .he Improvement whenever there
Ia real demand or prospect oI
furnishing better service at the pre-:
sent rates or as good service for less
money or whenever the present CON-
Eany makes at.s that will enable The
city to engage in the water business
aG pioht without inoi easing the
charges Nobody will object to max
ing change then. not even the epr,.
sent water company, as 1t would be
futile to do so. Now we are opp osed
to only safety clauses In the charter
being changed for n dangerous one.
We do not want oil OF cur property
forever mortgaged by whims and fan.
cies OF ambitious individuals who
have little to do but build schemes
for contracting public indebted nees.
II. Il. Davidson,
| Pres Light 4 Water Co.