Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-25
FEMINIST
GREGoRY's AMENDMENTS.
Councilman Thought Something Ought
to Be Put in For the People,

CITY Editor Times Repu blican: AS
my part of the symposium, on why 1
voted as did as "a councilman, on the
Darling franchises, I submit the fol-
lowing:
realize that a public office, how
ever small, is a public trust and the
people are entitled to know to what
extent their will has been executed and
their interest protected.
voted as / did on the Darling fran
chlses because I was not able to have
any of the proposed amendments writ
ten into the franchises. The franchises.
as now offered for your acceptance or
rejection, are practically as written py
Mr.. Darling and his attorney by reason
OF the protection given them by the
mayor and his faithful adherents.
The one peculiar thing in connection
with our deliberations in caucus and
the council, was that the measure of
every amendment proposed was not,
will this be for the benefit of Mar
shalltown," but rather, will this be for
Mr.. Darling's interest and will Mr.
Darling accept it?" 1t was the
oft repeated objection, that Mr..
Darling could not negotiate his
bonds If certain amendments were
made to the ordinances. I took
the broad ground, that we were not in
the bond promoting business and that
our sole duty was to frame such ordi-
nances as would protect the people of
Marshalltown in the enjoyment of the
rights and privileges to which they
We're entitled under these ordinances,
regardless Of who held the franchises.
never questioned, whether Jones q
Hovey We're to be the beneficiaries and
did not care. Nor do think this is ma
terial, but believe that the peoples in
terests can be protected only by what
is written into the ordinances and
when this is done, it matters not who
holds the franchises.
The people asking your approval Of
these franchise ordinances came to US
with the proposition that they had
$4S0,000 of real money" to invest in
the Marshalltown utilities, 100000 Of
which was to be expended in rehabili-
tation and betterment of the plant and
consequent better service, but when
proposed, that they write into the
franchise ordinances, an agreement to
expend $4,000 for such purpose, hey
threw up their hands in holy horror
and the faithful voted it down.
When / proposed an amendment Civ
ing the city the right to buy the plant
at any time within the life of the fran
chises. which would give us a right to
acquire the utilities if for any reason
We should desire to do so, it met the
same fate at the hands of the same
faithful" guardians and so with all
the amendments proposed even ito the
striking out of section 10 of the street
car franchise, which to my mind is an
absolutely pernicious section and if all
other parts were perfect would be suf-
ficient reason for any man to mark his
ballot mo" on next Monday
About one year ago when the mayor
was a candidate for reelection, his
only opposition SO he proclaimed, was
Jones & Hovey. Fritz Norris being still
his friend, he produced evidence to the
council in the shape of figures taken
from the books of Jones & Hovey
This was sufficient to convince DR.
Devine and me, that an ordinance es-
tablishing 81 per 1000 cubic feet for
gas was a fair and equitable rate and
one that could be maintained
city's 81 Gas Ordinance.
The mayor and that council are on
record as unanimously favoring such
an ordinance and the mayor and the
present council later went on record
unanimously, agreeing to defend this
ordinance on an appeal to the courts
by Jones & Hovey and have employed
Mr.. Boardman to assist City Solicitor
Northup, to each of whom has been
paid 5000 as a retainer.
But in a few months all is changed.
Norris becomes his only opposition and
Jones & Hovey seem to be his friends;
he appears before us with the identical
list of figures used by Mr.. Jones one
year ago to show US that the average
rate for gas in cities the size of Mar
shalltown was much higher than the
rates proposed for Marshalltown.
Which set of figures were correct, the
ones the mayor used on us before cleo
ton to prove 81 gas. fair and reason
able, or Mr.. Jones' list of figures which
the mayor used after election to prove
that the gas rate ought to go I'D TO
S1.25? I can see how a mans friends
will change but why will the figures
change?
What Next?
If the franchise ordinances are de-
feated what then? The Herald says
nine years more of Jones & Hovey,
but / say not so have it direct from
Mr.. Stevenson, the principal in the Nc
Bride franchises, that If they are ever
given an opportunity to do business
under franchise ordinance in the city
of Marshalltown that they are ready
and anxious to do so. And while they
have not made any extravagant state
ments at any time as to their "real
money" Mr.. Stevenson says in bus
inesslike way, that the finances are
all arranged for.
Mr.. Stevenson further says that his
company has Mad in mind all the while
including the public utilities, in any
thing they might undertake in the
way Of an interurban out of Marshall
town. You will all recall how Mr.. Nc
Bride was treated in an effort to get
his ordinances before the people, and
by whom he was driven out of town.
By defeating the proposed ordinances
at the polls on next Monday you can
serve the double purpose OF preventing