The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-21

dustrial man. No definite action, of
course, could be taken ON this until
other questions had been settled.
/ want to say that all Of the sub.
committees have performed their re-
spective duties most carefully and
conscientiously, and the result of their
Investigations was discussed at great
length before the committee of the
whole 1t is not unlikely that furth-
er changes may have to be maze, or
further changes may be desirable, as
matters develop, in regard to ali of
the questions herein submitted, and
believe that this committee, or who
ever you may decide to appoint,
should be given full authority to act
as their best judgment dictates. What
we need above all things is prompt
and efficient action on all these ques-
lions and others that are likely to
come before us. We must get down
to working basis. The people of our
city should be ready to respond lib.
orally to the demand for donations
and subscriptions to the organization
in question.
Inquiries are already coming in
from various interests. asking for in
formation and desiring to know what
VIC have to offer. There is a great
deal Of preparatory work to be done
before we are in shape to give defin-
ito answer, or to furnish the informa-
ton desired"
Respectfully submitted,
]. F. ELDER,
Chairman Committee Of Thirty.
General Discussion.
The report of the committee Of thir
ty was rushed to its adoption on a
motion by John e. Craig that the
committee be continued and given
power to carry out the report.
The question of taxation for the
maintenance of the department of pub
licity was opened for discussion by
J, f. Daugherty. who pointed out that
the $4,000 expended for this work
would be the taxpayers burden. Mr..
Daugherty was answered by Mayor
Elder. He declared the administration
had already saved the city taxpayers
$4,000 and at the present time is
fighting the Illegal county bridge tax.
He pointed out that the $4,000 would
not prove an added burden, and that
1t would be taken out of mulct and
other special tax Mr.. Daugherty said
he did not like it to come directly or
indirectly out of the city treasury.
Chairman Logan did not believe s10,-
600 would be very much for Keokuk to
pay for its betterment.
] A. NJ. Collins made rousing talk
in which he argued that explicit con-
fidence had been imposed in the COM
missioners for the purpose of spending
more than 100000 year and they
should not be questioned in the expen-
diture of one-tenth that sum from the
city funds for the betterment of the
city. One of the strong advocates of
immediate action was G. w. Tanning.
A speech by John w. Rovane, Sr.,
occasioned sparkling bit of repartee
between the speaker and Wells M.
irwin, president of the commercial
club.
BE it remembered" is something
the way that Mr. Royane began BE
it remembered that Keokuk has in the
past been whipped to fragile in
everything I'VE were never whip
ped interrupted Mr. Irwin. Il would
have you know that we ran" We
have been whipped to fragile by
every sister around us. continued the
speaker. Fort Madison called the turn
on the Santa Fe deal; Ottumwa SCOOP
ed UP on the Dain Manufacturing con-
Germ. We have gotten the worst of it
for thirty years. $4,000 to 100000 is
not drop in the bucket. We have
very little advantage over the other
towns except in location. We are go
ing to have terrific fight for supreirl-
acy.' At this point the speaker out
lined plan for 300 of Keokuk's busi-
ness men to purchase $4,000 horse
power from the water power company
to be sold to factories, making it es-
sential that they come to Keokuk to
secure advantage of the power. He
outlined very briefly the method OF
financing such a procedure.
Following Mr.. Rovane's remarks a