Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-22
QUESTION.

There Is great deal of indecision
the waterworks question.
Hundreds OF voters have not made up
their minds as to the position they
should take when called upon tc cast
their ballot for or against municipal
ownership. This indecision is felt
simply because few people feel that
they are fully advised on the subject.
There has not been time to thor
oughly digest the arguments for and
against the proposition that the city
purchase the waterworks.
4 A public meeting will be held Sun
day afternoon to hear the waterworks
question discussed. In the few days
left the committee could not get the
opera house for any other date.
1t Is regretted that the city council
did not feel disposed to take the peo-
pie into their confidence during the
entire period covered by. the water
works negotiations. All the aTgu-
ments that lave been advanced for
and against the proposition there
is an honest difference Of opinion re-
garding the matter-could have been
made months ago and the people then
would have had time + thoroughly di-
gest these arguments.
AS it was, all the negotiations be-
tween the city and the water company
were conducted In private. Reporters
were not admitted to the meetings
when the water question was dis
cussed. The citizens then had no
means of knowing the extent Of the
difficulties between the council and
the water company, other than that
the city had withheld water rentals
from the company because the provi-
sion of the ordinance had not been
lived up to.
This silence was broken only when
the Council accepted the proposition
for the sale Of the plant. The people
were advised that the council had
voted to purchase the waterworks for
the sum of $2SO,000, and the people
were asked to ratify the action Of the
city council at the polls.
1t has only teen within the last few
days that any information that would
aid the people in E-asping the subject
has been presented In this time there
have been a number of articles sub
mitted. Leading citizens have taken
opposing views and have submitted
arguments in support OF their posi-
lions. The matter has ,een brought
to the attention Of the people with
such suddenness that a great many
have not been able to entirely satisfy
themselves as to no they should vote
on the proposition.
In matters of this kind there is not
the slightest need for secrecy. The
waterworks question Is one In which
every citizen Of Ottumwa is interested,
and in all steps taken to solve 1t the
people have q right to expect that they
should be fully advised. The people
can be trusted to act wisely where
their interests are involved when they
have been fully advised of the PROPOSE
ton placed before them. They cannot
be expected to act Immediately when
secrecy is maintained until the last
minute, and they are then asked to
pass hurriedly upon a subject with
which the city council has wrestled in
secret for years.
: This is matter that concerns the
whole city, and the council has not
handled it in broad public spirited
manner. The people feel that they
should have had time to talk over the
city's financial conditions, its needs,
and its ability to meet them.
But the dominant fact in this mat
ter is this:
The city must have an adequate
water supply. It can not grow without
it. That is self evident fact.
d The question now is: What is the
best way, taking into consideration all
the known existing conditions, to
get it?
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