La Junta tribune., 1915-03-27
SPEAKNG
HBl1JHINlnlD
safety First should He Our Motto

To the Tribune:
No one can find fault with the
city council for submitting the $751;
900 bond issue at this time. even
though La Junta needs a second elec-
trio light plant about as badly as II
needs docks to accommodate the Ar
kansas river shipping. The council
men were pledged to submit this Is
sue. this being hangover OF old
conditions which no longer exist. AS
men of their word they had to do 1t.
( The whole country is passing
through hard winter. with many
thousands of men out Of work, and
every thinking man worried over the
possibilities of our country being
dragged into the war We have seen
the president turn right about face
from the attacks on corporations
and declare that radical national
legislation is over with for a good
long time to come. Everywhere the
people have been practicing the
strictest economy, trying to get out
OF debt and incurring no new ones.
Yet the taxpayers Of La Junta are
being confronted this spring with
the possibility OF soaking the city's
credit for $4,000 more to build
something the city already has. As
an inducement We are beguiled with
q lot OF figures such as any rocking
chair statesman could sketch out
and rattle off. Why don't they en-
ploy a high grade electrical engineer
II they really mean business and
have any genuine confidence In their
schemes?
And again. why $4,000? l am
reliably informed that the real esti-
mate the committee brought home
from Kansas was considerably lar
ger than $4,000. but with the wis.,
dom naturally belonging to City El-
ders. they decided not to let the good
people know what they thought II
would actually cost. hence the arbi-
trary sum. $4,000. One Of the
committee. the city engineer. refused
TO endorse such plan. and I would
like to draw the taxpayers attention
To the fact that nobody ever heard
him advocate the $4,000 scheme.
hold no brief for the Arksn-
sas Valley Railway. Light and
Power Company. but this company
tipped It's hand when they acknowl-
EDGED 10 the Industrial Association
that they were willing to make con-
cessions and lower rates for q renew
ri Of their franchise. This fran
chise. by the way. does not expire
until June. 1917. and II would be
more than two years before city
plant could have fair field. II II
In started sooner II would have to
compete with biz company. and II
would not have show Of even pay
Ing operating expenses. Therefore.
why all this hast. TO put over the
bonds right away. quick. this spring!
Why would another years delay
make any diffcrcnce7 My idea In
10 let well enough alone In these
hard times when many Of our prop
erty owners are having all they can
do 10 pay the present taxes and hang
on 10 their homes.
This In a time. n there ever was
one. when the people should rally TO
the support Of the Taxpayers Tic.
ket and put In office able business
mon who are pledged To economy
and who would not spring any moro
hare-brsincd. dcbt.making friils on
the public. The property owners
will have 10 get out and work hard
10 beat these bonds because the
bunch that In trying To put them
over are politicians and know how
10 work nj their trade.
Don't let them fool you Into be-
lisving that the bonds will probably
not bc issued because they will
scare the Power Company 10 death
and make II fall over itself 10 cut
the rates. The Power Company 10
not goins 20 cut rates lower than
good business judgment warrants In
their efforts IN build up this whole
section Of the Valley By sesvins
electricity 10 the farmers. ranchers
ssd districts which ought 10 be irrt-
saasd. but which are not. Dop't
'tAiak that the politicians Will not
ee1I the boads. II you ere foolish
eaeugh 20 authorize them. II they
1i6a't the people who voted for
then IN good faith would raise ~
awful row. and they would have .
Dosfect right 10 do II. too.
sslafeev Plps('' ovghe eo b. our