Willmar tribune., 1909-09-08

VICTOR E. LAWSON, Editor and M AnaGer.
LuD IG 8. DALE, City Editor.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 8, 1909.
SEWER AND TELEPHONE CUES.
TlONS ARE NOT ANITA.
GONISTIC.
The time has come when the peo-
pie of Willmar should insist on such
improvements that we cannot very
we'll afford to be without. Our
city can not expect to be known as
a progressive city until a complete
sewerage system has been provided
for and secured. The city of Will
mar is we'll located and has good
railroad connections, and there is
no reason why she should not enjoy
a healthy growth, if the sanitary
conditions are made what they
ought to he. We believe that the
one thing that has tended to delay
this much needed improvement is
the senseless agitation that the
Willmar Tribune has been carrying
on for years, especially just before
every election. in favor of munich
pal ownership of the telephone.
Indications now are, however. that
the majority Of the people of Will
mar are thoroughly disgusted with
the Tribune's visionary theories
and will insist on such improve
ments that he can i'll afford to be
without and which we ought to
have had years ago.-Republican
Gazette.
When has the telephone question
interfered with or forestalled a
solving of the sewer question? Has
not the Tribune been just as active
as any other paper in urging the
sewer improvements and cleaning
of the lake? This dragging in the
telephone question and the Trib.
une editor into the discussion of the
sewer question proves to our mind
conclusively that some of the activ.
ity for sewer of late has been in.
spired by the hope that the sewer
question would kill the municipal
telephone question. Since the late
election which proved beyond ques'
tion that the municipal ownership
idea has a deservedly strong hold
on the people of the city, some par.
ties have suddenly awakened to the
very great Importance of the sewe,
question. 1t is good thing that
it had this influence. Willmal
needs a sewer system, and if the
developments Of the telephone ques
tion has quickened some people,:
desire to push the sewer PROPOSE
tion, that is a good thing. But
don't think you can kill or forestal
the telephone question by claiming
that if we have the one we cannot
have the other. On the other hand
if the city bonds itself (''mortgage.
its homes'') to put in a sewer sys
tenn which will yield no revenue
there is 50 much more reason VIII,
it should take up and operate {
franchise from which it can realize
a handsome cash revenue, partlcu
larly as it can do the latter without
issuing any bonds that will be .
lien on the general fund of the city
The Gazette has never succeeded
in proving that the idea of mum
cipal ownership of telephones il
visionary" much less ''sense
less." Every claim made by the
Northwestern to the famous com
mittee a year and a half ago, ha.
been proven to be false, now las
the one in which they claimed the,
were willing to sell out.
There is no publ,c-service bust
ness on earth that yields the amount
of revenue and pays as we'll as the
telephone business. 1t has none Of
the drawbacks and few of the diff.
culties that beset the management
of an electric light, water or ga.
plant. Every patron pays a fixed
price per month and there is moi
that mysterious leakage which
makes life a burden to the light
gas or water plant manager. tt
say that a city that can successfully
operate an electric light and water
plant cannot operate a telephone
plant betrays a lack of sense o,
knowledge in the person making
such statement.
The people of Willmar have spo.