The daily sentinel., 1913-07-29
THE DAILY SENTINEL
GRAND JUNCTION FACES BTT1EREST
MUNICIPAL STRUGGLE IN HER HISTORY
WILL The RESULT JUSTIFY The COST?

upon the brest and the municipal struggle her
history
But the minds of people prosperity and disturbed
business conditions but worthless baubes offer price
for municipal reform.
The Committee of Seventy action last night could
just well have taken its first meeng for commented
at that time the verdict already prepared and ready for de
cry before that meeting opened its deliberations.
The meeting last light NOT meeting representative of
the entire citizenship of Grand Junction There 81 members
bers IN attendance at single one OF Its sessions There were less
than hrve last night when the taken the
of securing by condemnation the electric light and gas plants
1t should be understood that all of those members of the
Committee who voted AYE last night and
favor of the Buckn proposition these plants by cond
nation They voted aye simply get the matter submitted
other Had the question read Resolved that the cv Condemn m
these plants and take them over Mr. Bucn would have
1t a Buckn meeting from start to finish. He did practi
cay all the talking made dictated practically all the important
motions He knew he had majority of the crowd present with
him. and he handled them as chess men handled
Shall Grand Junction the light and gas plants by
demnaton? his the question which the people will this
fall hs the question that will invoke the most terrific munich
pal struggle in the city history.
In dgnied way President Sunden of the utility compa
answered the last questions propounded him by the sbcon
mttee His letter last night and frank Far
Mr. Buln of his lengthy speeches proceeded to ridcu
roast sarastay deal with and the lie many of the
contained that letter Mr. Buck supreme the
meeting He knew it and he made the of it.
M ak about horse play The horsePayng has been cornered
very the program Mr. Buekn had been mapped out and
the opening ofnegoaons merely bluff and sbteugc
negotiate with the company prcudeed biased and one
sided was never appointed to handle important prob
lem in the city's history
Every that committee with the possible exception of
Ben Griffith would oppose the local public utilities because of
packed committee and intended to be and the packing
done by Chairman Griffith subservence the wishes of
Bum The packed ID Go committee did what was expected to
ommendon that KNEW would render before the
tatons with the company opened.
The fight Grand Junction will say at the No
vember election whether shall ATTEMPT take the light
plant and plant by condemnation Mark the word AT
TEMPE for the carrying of the proposition this election does
that WE WILL TAKE these plants A long battle in
the courts to follow An indefinite of litigation ag
aton and turmoil will be in store for Grand Junction.
And while the fight wagng Grand Junction need expect
nterurban street railway extensions and capital looking
for investments large enterprises will fight shy of Grand juno
The electric inerurban the gas and ice companies will
OF make extensions and naturally
utilities can be expected during the long period of agitation and
litigation.
of the paragraphs of Mr. Sunders letter commit
Mr.. Sunderin would be taken by all other investors.
g. The basis of our claim that the agitaed question of
municipal ownership of the electric plant has nterfcrred
with plans for making extensions, that the
their associates would consider purchasing
interest in prospective litigation No could
be you that contemplated in the past
under present condition. alone Grand Junction but
throughout the country would be promptly made and we
doubt very much the ability of any body of cit
to that all efforts for municipal
But what difference do these things make refoers
Reform the front and prosperity be hanged if nterercs
slogan OF some people.
The Committee of Seventy does speak for the WHOLE
people MIR. Buoklns minority majority" on that committee
doesn't even speak for majority Of the people
We honestly believe the municipal ownership idea is weaker
Grand today than before the Committee of Sew
cny
Grand Junction going to vote this fall on the question of
fondemping the two lighting plants BECAUSE Mr. Buckn
her TO- but this is MOI PROOF that Grand Junction will CON
DENIM these plants simply because Mr.. Bukln wants Grand
Junction do
We ready to face the issue.
We opposed the ownership the light and pas pants
by concemnation . r
Grand Junction certain suffer from this agitation and
this campaign but Grand Junction used suffering and perhaps
those people who had rather her suffer than prosper