Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-04-25
IT rs UP TO THE CITIZENS.
aARILL the citizens of Salem do their
wv duty by the city as a whole in
the matter of street paving. 1t.

n a
wv duty by the city as a whole in
the matter of street paving. It,
seems they must protect themselves If
they are to be protected at all, for the
chairman of the committee on streets is
permitted to have his own way by the
city council, and that way is not in the
line Of protecting the city in the paving
matter. So far neither the mayor, the
council nor the committee on streets
has taken any steps towards requiring
a bond for maintenance of concrete
paving, as condition precedent to let
ting contracts. We have been told that
City Attorney Page has advised coun-
cilmen that to require such bond is IL
legal. Whether this is true or not we
do not know, for the city attorney gave
the Capital Journal the curt informa-
tion that it was none Of its business.
As the Capital journal desired simply
to let the public know as to this stage
of the affair, it is fair to presume the
city attorney also considers it none of
the peoples business. He may be right
for they have business enough to attend
to in digging up the money to pay
their employees salaries, City Attorney
Pages among the rest, without being
bothered with information as to what
is being done by their employees.
From this it is readily seen that those
contemplating street paving, if they
want to be fair to the balance of the
city, and not saddle the burden of re-
pairing deficient or worn out concrete
streets upon the city, will refrain from
petitioning for paving until this matter
is settled and settled right.
The Hon. Gideon Stolz, chairman of
the committee on streets, has so far
been a law unto himself and has refus'
ed to demand bonds for maintenance in
letting paving with concrete, and there
seems to be no other remedy. The
creature, the council, has become great
er than the creator, the people, and
pays no attention to the latter's re
quests for bonds before paving con
tracts are let.
It is in the hands of the people Il
protect themselves, and this can b,
done only in two ways. One by recall
ing such councilmen as refuse to con
slider their requests, which is harsl
and drastic remedy that should only b.
resorted to when all other measure
fail, and the other is simply to refus
to sign any petitions for paving unit
the city, and all its citizens are protect
cd in this paving matter. This remed,
is easy, and is in the hands of tn
people. 1t requires no effort on thei
part. All that is required is to do al
solutely nothing, The paving compa
nes will soon come through. If the
do not, then the city had best take hol
Of the matter and do its own paving
There is no patent on concrete and Ii
strings on the city to prevent 1t.
In this connection we might add tina
many pretty ugly stories have reachc
the Capital journal concerning stree
paving. The Capital Journal is ne
prone to believe them, for while
knows the city authorities have don
very many foolish things it would hes
tate long before believing they hO
done anything criminal II desire
though, to call attention to the ia,
that suspicion once awakened is haI
to overcome and story once told c
pccially II untrue, grows beyond Il
recognition of its author in sho
time. If the couucilmen will kee
their ears to the ground, they can SOC
hear good many things that are NJ
pleasant TO hear The confidence NJ
good will of the public is great ass
for any man or officer, and he is !
deed foolish who will not make son
effort TO retain IL.