Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-11-12
THE CHARTER AMENDMENT.


against the springs bond charter
amendment. The opposition comes
mostly from those originally opposed
10 the project The personal antag-
onism is mostly against Mr.. Greer on
account Of his attitude in the cam
paign just closed. Some people do
not like Mr.. Greer because he does
not respond to their beck and call
in matters political and they are at
tempting to carry that into the
springs campaign
To illustrate: One of them said
that the charter amendment would
not carry unless Mr.. Greer resigned
from the springs water commission
Just why he did not venture
In order that the people may have
a full understanding Of Mr.. Greer's
attitude in the matter it is here
stated:
Mr.. Greer has spent practically all
of his time on the springs project
for more than a year. When Mr..
Silver attempted to hold up the town
on the price of his old lithia spring.
the present springs water commits
sion. then acting as a committee Of
the Commercial Club. made a devel-
opment contract with Mr. Murphy
and developed a spring equally as
good as the Silver-Gillette spring at
a cost of less than three hundred
dollars. Mr.. Greer put on his over
alIs and went personally to supervise
the work on all of the springs deyel-
opment He spent practically all OF
last winter in this work. In order
to release himself from his duties
in the Tidings office he employed a
man to take his place at cost Of
800 per month, and the extra man
is still on the job All of this he did
, without compensation. He could not
afford to do il. but his faith in the
ultimate success of the project led
him to do so in the interest of his
business. He was willing to bank
on the future
Mr.. Greer admits a selfish interest
in the enterprise. He believes that
the springs project, successfully car
ried out. Ashland will become pros
porous and that prosperity will be
reflected in his own business as well
as every other business in Ashland
Not only that. it will extend to every
fruit and garden truck grower il
Ashland. because it will make {
home market for what he raises
> Therefore he has stayed on the jol
and devoted practically all of hi
time to the study OF watering resorts
throughout the world.
But, Mr.. Greer is not stuck on tn
Job. He does not hold the view tina
: he is the only man in Ashland tha
can work the project out to a sue
cessful conclusion. There may b
twenty OF them. But no one has ye
come forward who has faith enougI
in the future to give his time to tn
work.
This enterprise is a communit
venture. Mr.. Greer ought not hav
more interest in 1t than other cit
zens. Every man who believes in
should get behind il, not only wit
his vote, but with his energy an
, advice.
II the springs water commissio
has any complaint at all it is becaus
:, more citizens have not taken interes
enough in the project to advise wit
the commission in its work. Ever
step taken has been open and tn
> commission is always glad to explai
every detail to any citizen interested
This commission has worked as faitt
:. fully as it knew how. Messrs. Dodg
and Minkler, with Mr.. Greer, hav
spent much time and energy in tn
work and both OF these gentleme
express themselves as does the wri
er. that they are willing to turn tn
matter over to some one else If the
can carry out the project more SUI
cessfully than we.
Speaking alone for Mr.. Greer. Th
i matter of carrying the propose
Il charter amendment to be voted o
next Tuesday will be left to the PEE
q pie. Mr.. Greer does not intend to g
e into a fight for the amendment.
10 the people lack confidence in Il
J. commission or in the project Ii
u present commission does not desil
n to continue in the work. The on
D. way 1t can be made the success Il
ie waters justify is by concerted actio
~ The commission must have the pc
pie behind IT, To do it successful
oi Is no small task. It means a lot
De work and worry at the best. TT
ne possibility iustifies all OF this. b
eh the commission Is not willing to pr
ed ceed II 1t has to fight some one
OF every point in the development.