The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-04-13

Voters of Charleston, you may vet
have chance to capture your
Water and Light trust This trust
is trying to smuggle through the
Council Il new charter for another
thirty years, with the provision that
the city must buy this water works
at the expiration of thirty years or
grant an extension of twenty years
more. I.l short, the new charter
seeks to fasten the frightfuI clutches
OF u thieving trust on the pockets of
the people for another half a CEN
tury.
The capitalist papers of Charles
ton have repeatedly informed the
public that there would be a public
meeting where all citizens could
nave an opportunity to fl;aely dis
cuss the provisions in this proposed
franchise. And yet, the discciyc:s
having. this promise published nor
c'nly knew the people would not be
allowed to publicly discuss this
franchise, but they never intended to
permit the public to publicly reviey
IL, II they could possibly smugcley il
through in secrecy. Now. If voters
Will support the Socialist ticket and
Keep itself in power Dy fooling folks
to vote the republican or democrat
ticket, we may yet possibly prevent
these shysters from monopolizinr
your water and light supply ror 1ftv
years.
But tricksters scheming to secure
this franchise have the Deople abso.
iutely in their greedy grasp. We
naVo tly bN-
eHpioitcrs capture, corner and con-
troll our water and light s,mnIv fo,.
hfty Years, when, if the people had
earnestly opposed this scheme they
could have defeated this robbery and
saved themselves from being swim
died and cnslavcd. Willie we ore
perhaps forever too late to liberat.
ourselves, the only way to prevent
such outragcs in the future is to vote
thc socialist ticket roe. in order to
elect council and board of affairs
VINO not only believe in the people
owning their own water p1ant bu.
would do everything in their power
to submit all such matters 70 tho
luilest consideration and control of
the people.
Before this charter is granted tho.
people should be notified to asse,,hls
in the Court House to openly ,on-
slider it in full But have tbe.,
Schcmers ever offered the people an
opportunity TO consider a matter or
such vital Importance to every man
woman and child? No. and tbci,
reason FOR refusing TO do SO. is, that
they don't want the peopIc 10 know
what rascalfty they are plotting to
lnDOSn tbn In1
people. While a certain supposed
charter was published in Tuesdays
Mail. in connection with that fran
chise the Mail says the CITY Council
recently took recess until Wiedncs-
day, April 10. in order that tho wa
ter company may prepare amend
ments to this proposed Water and
Light Ordinance
Since the water trust means to
amend this franchise to suit itself.
what was the use or motive il pub
fishing this fictitious franchise in the
Mail? Simply to deceive the public
to believe that they are not conceal
ing anything when these amend
ments' to be prepared by the Water
company could have been included i'll
this pretended franchise published in
ing to secure this franchise meant
to give the public a fair chance to
consider this franchise, why didn't
they publish these concealed amend
ments? Simply because they arc
afraid the people would rebel against
their plot to pillage the public for
another fifty years. There is only
one way to stop this rascality against
the people-yote the Socialist ticket
and put this Water trust under mu-
| nicipal ownership. When this water
| and light is used and paid for by the
| people the people should own and op
crate it under government contro
Cor the best interests of each anc
all.
| Kanawha Bridge Trust.
The people of Charleston are no
only Dlundcred by a water and lirh
| monopoly but they are pilIagcd b.
the toll bridge trusts. Think of th'
money poor and common people pa,
this bridge trust every year. 70
which they get little else than sneer
and jeers in return. No wonder tn
owners of this water monopoly an