Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-02
THE HOWELL RELIEF BILL.

THE HOWELL RELIEF BILL,
(The Bee Feb 3, 1869
The water works purchase bill,
which passed both houses of the legis-
lature last week and has now been ap-
proved by the governor, at once be-
comes a law, as it carries an emeT-
gency clause. The father OF this
measure, Senator Howell, has kindly
volunteered to enlighten the citizens
of Omaha concerning the important
features of the bill, which are sum-
married. as follows;
Under the terms of the measure the gov
ernor will be required to appoint a water
board Of six members within thirty days
of the date of attaching his signature 10
the bill. Two members will be appointed
for two years, two for four and two for
six years. all Of whom must be electors of
the city. The bill also provides that one
member for each term must be a repub-
lican and one a democrat.
Why representatives of the people
should show such a distrust of the peo-
pie, and especially the taxpayers who
are to assume obligations that may ex-
coed $4,000,00O, and should deprive
them of the right to elect their own
water commission, and why they are
to be put on probation under state
guardianship for four years, is not ex-
planned by Mr.. Howell Neither does
he explain why the commission is
made responsible to nobody, removable
by nobody and empowered to appoint
its own successors in case of vacancies
by death or otherwise,
The provision requiring one-half of
the commission to be democrats and
the other half republicans affords no
safeguard against malfeasance in
office. The purchase and management
of the water works involves no polit-
zeal issue. Venal democrats and cor
rupt republicans will combine just as
readily for any Doodle scheme az
would dishonest members of a single
party. g
The next feature of Importance, &C
eording to Mr.. Howell, is the provision
of the law that requires the city coun.
Gil to declare by ordinance that it II
necessary for the city to purchase tbs
water plant and that at the first meet
ing of the council after the approva
of such ordinance the council mus
take the first steps in the actual &C
QUESTION of the plant.
4 hA he
Of the contract between the city and tn
water company, which involves the APP
pointment of three engineers as appraisers
ons by the city, one by. the water com
pany and third by the two appraisers $
named. Or the council may proceed t
acquire the water plant by condemnatio
proceedings, az provided in the city char
ter In such case five appraisers must b
appointed by the mayor and kcouncil. as /
the condemnation of right-of-ways fo
streets and alleys, II the. first method !
adopted nothing will have to be paid 70
the unexpired portion of the franchis
claimed by the water company IL the sec
ond plan Is adopted, an allowance for tn
unexpired franchise will be undoubtedl
claimed by the. company.
All these proceedings were With
ISdCu WlluOub ppOSlul AS5l5lutlOhB I'LL
the fact that the bill passed bot
houses without dissenting vote ind
Gates that the water works company
not adverse to such procedure. 1t cel
tainly could have Influenced a fe'
members of the legislature to antagC
nize the bill at some stage.
But while Mr., Howell is willing t
enlighten the people about the mode {
procedure to purchase the water work
plant, he studiously omits all referenc
to the fact that he has saddled upo
the taxpayers of Omaha a water con
mission which will commence DRAWN
$500 a month out of the city treasuI
for the salary of its members, an
from $3.50 to $500 a month for
/ water commissioner within thirt
days, although it may be thirty montl
before the commission will have az
r water works to manage or before Il
5 water commissioner has anythiI
: more to do than to draw his salary.
And this is really the milk in Il
water bill cocoanut, which proper
= should have been labeled "A Bill
n Provide r. B. Howell with Lucratlr
i Job as Commissioner of Wat
Works"