The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-04-29

| enough ana with II muCh better time
could be made. and, considering the
fact that very often fires occur great
distance from the city hall and head
quarters of the fire department, and
by being able to make the trip even a
few moments sooner many dollars
worth of property may be saved,
deem II to the best interest of proper.
~ owners and taxpayers of the city
that this exchange should ee made.
Experience has demonstrated to us
that the fire team should at all times
be In the fire stables (when not in
service on the hose wagon ready to
respond to call of fire, fresh and spir-
tied, and not away hauling the heavy
street sprinkler at least a block from
the fire house, worn out and unfit To
start with the hose wagon to fire
often several miles away from the fire
house and headquarters, and | would
| recommend that the city, by its proper
| officers and authority sell the street
sprinkler If the amount paid for il can
be realized
| would also recommend that the
school district of the city be required
to pay water tax the same as individ.
uals. The school district limits reach
miles outside of the limits OF the city
and reap benefit of city water without
paying toward its maintenance. This
is unjust and negotiable.
The city limits have been enlarged
and the population increased until the
present census will, in my judgment
show an increase of inhabitants sur
prisng to the most of our citizens, and
these citizens and their property de-
mand that there shall be maintained
an adequate police force, and past eX
perienCe has demonstrated the fact
that the police force, however faith
full its members, is not sufficient, and
! recommend that an additional night
police be appointed for uptown bust
ness portion of the city, and a day
policeman for the Junction, and imme-
date steps be taken by you upon this
recommendation.
The proposition as to control of the
| liquor traffic has attained no mean
proportions throughout the state, in
the cities and villages as well, also,
as in the unorgani2ed portions thereof
The sentiment is expressed by the
term of wet" and dry" in connection
with the condition in cities and vii
| lagos, and city is said to be either
| in the wet or dry column; and as a
result of our recent municipal cleo
ton the city of Norfolk has been
| given place in the wet" column;
while the question was not a direct
issue, it is safe, in my judgment, to
| assume that this classification is cor
rect; | have little or no policy in my
makeup. | dislike the neither fish
nor fowl" position. | am, and always
have been, either for or against prop
osition. | know no neutral grounds
If it is right that license should be
| granted, then the licensing authority
| should have no restraint upon it's aC-
ton except such as is imposed under
the statute; the Slocum law provides
that before an applicant shall be
granted a license he shall be vouched
Tor by a majority of the freeholders
| of the ward in which he proposes to
| conduct the business, and then to
! guard against the violation of law and
for the payment of all damages re-
sulting from an illegal sale by him he
is required to give bonds in the sum
of $4,000. This, also with the further
condition that the licensing board
shall deem it expedient" to grant him
license, together with the right to
| demonstrate against the applicant for
| violation of the statute. In my judg-
ment, this is restraint enough and any
municipal rule or ordinance imposing
further restraint should be revoked
and repealed If the city were in the
dry" column then it is right and
should be expected that the council
| should not deem it eXpedient" to
grant any license; but if the city is
in the wet" column, then the council
should be at liberty to act without re-.
| straint in the matter of granting IL
Cense, and If they deem it eXpedient
to grant seven licenses they should be
free to so act in the premises, and if
they deem it eXpedient to grant more
than seven licenses they should be
free to act upon their judgment in the
premises answerable only to the con-
dition of the Slocum law, and not be
shackled, bound and gagged by any
rule, regulation or ordinance to the
contrary. | recommend that ordi-
nance No. 316a, so far as it limits the
number of saloon licenses to be grant
ed be repealed, and also that the por-
ton of the ordinance requiring the
payment of $3.50 occupation tax be
repealed, and that the ordinance be
so amended as to leave it to the dis
erection of the mayor and city council
as to the number of licenses to be
granted, and that the amount of occu-
patton tax to be charged each licensee
be $500 per annum.
Our position as mayor ana council
of the city of Norfolk should be that
of servants of the entire city, and with
us "a public Office should be public
trust" and our aim should be to serve
the entire people and do no act which
would advance the interest of one cit.
izen or class of citizens and retard the
interest of another citizen or class OF
citizens, we should zealously guard
the property rights of all the citizens
alike, we should do no act or counten
ance none that would advance the val.
ue of property of one citizen or class
OF citizens and depreciate the value
of the property of another citizen or
class of citizens; we are justly proud
of our city in all its length and
breadth Of ire location an6 oil tbot