The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-03-21
cas- on hand DO Keen M iunlk. ttlealers

ters on hand TO keep the junk dealers
busy fol-. a year,
The First reason given for a chance
to"try OUT the ordinance Is that the
ledger accounts have been extended
and some of the postal cards have
been printed. The item of booking is
Of little consequence. We do not be-
lieye they pay the bookkeper over a
hundred dollars per month and they
had no ordinance Tor them to work
under until after the 10th and they
couldshave only worked ten days ana
been safe in their work for, they did
not know until the 10th that they
would hayesa water ordinance until
after the council, decided to "approve
and adopt" It, to use the language Of
the mayor in the INSTRUMENTATION
of the ordinance. - 4,
But weIadndF thatIthe postal card
excuse is indeed the strongest and
best argument they have made. Pos!
tai cards cost aSoutsf cent i piece ac1
cording to the last catalogue and
price list sent oatIby-thc postoffice
department. We are not Informed
whether the Economical ones have
been able TO purchase them any
cheaper than that or not. But If we
lose these postal cards every water
user to whom one. of them is address
led will have TO contribute his penny
in the way OF taxes to the city. gov
eminent. The only, way that this
(great) loss can be avoided we sup
pose would be to pass the hat or cut
off some of; the salaries that have
been so recently and so handsomely,
abundantly and prodigaliy raised to
meet the high cost of living that the
down troddena servants Of the city
are subjected to. Y
Ia WeSwill.not attempt to reply to the
postal card reason. 1t has staggered
us to such an extent that we are rem
Ederea sspeechless and helpless. We
trust however IL the ordinance is re-
pealed that there will be some way
found by which this great loss can be
restored to the people, either in the
way of meter cost or In the water
latcs. II would seem that $4,000
worth of meters and about SIS, 900
In increased water rates would TO
some small extent cover the postal
card loss.
Tho second reason advanced is that
according to the Economical and ef-
iicient'' commissioners the cost Of, the
election will be 5000. This depends
sol. course on how YOU look at It. ii
YOU want to hold an Economical
election and pay the cost OF holding
1T as the law provides,-the pay Of
the clerks, challengers, and commits
sioners, the publication of notice, the
publication of the ballot and the
printing of the ballots and poll books,
(which is all the legitimate cost Of
holding the election. it should not
cost more than onc-third the(prico
named. Our answer to this is that II
an election is held under. this petit
tion we will paySsll legitimate cost
Of the election in excess of 5000.
This proposition will not Of course
include the expense OF carriages and
automobiles to carry the voters Il,
the polls. nor the contribution 10 the
! floating voters nors their "epherma,
I Bacchanalian feast" as a'e6Ioredi Sot4
.erSrecently alluded to II in the Peo..
pies Forum. It will .not pay the COS,
or carrying about S"poftabiies a,aS adj!
ence"1for the spaeii-bindsfss. MOI 81
liquid refreshments that usnaliy Pre- Re
cede all elections in Fairmont:ITher
can be no banquets held for the yot
| ers at the 5000 price but it will pay
all Legitimate expenses and the com.
inlssioners may now proceed with the
guarantee that 1t cost no more. They
can save all this cost however by re
pealing the water ordinance.
These two reasons are all they give.
for holding up action. until the ordi,
nance Is tested. But suppose the
people would withdraw their peti.
tions how are they to know what tho
commissioners will consider a fai,
water ordinance? They seem 10 be
satisfied with their proposed waite;
ordinance and do you think they
would think any less of 1t at the end
OF three months after the meters arc
bought and paid for?, aSl
The commissioners further assert
that they have given the people ali
the information they could. The in
formation theymost want is a state.
ment OF receipts and expenses Of tn
water plant, showing, a reason for a,
increase in water rates. IL they vii:
show this we. believe the people q,
7, alrmont are reasonable enough l..
grant any rcas onable increase If HE.