Valdez daily prospector., 1915-10-28

owners be assessed and not another? And why, by a remarkable :oinci- dence, should all of those heavily as- sessed be on the Valdez Dock com pany's property.
 The City dock is a grand thing for the community, but it should not be used as a club; as it is too lunwieldy for a man with no business tact to handle. If the city wanted a dock, and needed a dock, it should have issued bonds and purchased the Dock Company's property. Thus 1t would have throttled competition, and had something that would have been la credit to the city. Penalizing busi- ness firms for building where they desire, and conducting their busi- nesses in a legal manner is a poor way to build up city.
 The Valdez Dock company built their wharf in Valdez at time when there was no wharf. They were well comed by the council then in office as an addition to the town of several families and many thousand dollars worth of capital. They did business amicably with our citizens until the present mayor took office. Since then they have been subjected to numer- ous prosecutions. The fact that they built their wharf before the present regime, causes any action taken now by the council to be retroactive in its nature. The fact that the company has not been molested by the war de- partment, who had control of the waters at the time should be evidence that their actions were tacitly sanc- toned by that body. Laws calculat- ed to harrass capital never yet have built up a city. A mayor hostile to every one who differs with him is not calculated to build up a city. It takes unanimous action to get big enter prises. If the Dock company is put out of business the town loses the in comes in wages, taxes and business
 helr caL..u. produces. Every dollar in our city should be jealously kept here, and more induced to come By his hostility the mayor has directly proclaimed that he desire to run out nearly s300,O00 worth of enterprises.
 Now, citizens, why do you allow this? The matter has come to show uown It is question of Wheth- CT you wish your town to be on the water tank list, with an advertised apathy to ulg business, or do you want to see the city grow and pros per. Do you wish to run the Dock company, and the Prospector and the other enterprises out by allowing your better judgment to be subverted to the base ends of interruptions politi- clans?
 We have been averse to taking any part in the present fight for the req son that it seemed to us that the bet ter judgment of those making a fight on the city's industries would prevail, and that the matter would be drop- ped. But where animus against the Dock Company, and the Prospectcr, and the Valdez bank is so apparent, and when these companies are not only heavily penalized, but are being forced out of business in the city, 1t is time to make a mild remonstrance. If the majority of the people stand behind these demagogs in their de- mands it will inevitably cause these corporations to seek fields where their capital and efforts are appreciated. Open hostility to enterprise is not conducive to producing feeling of warm friendship for those trying to ruin your business, and it is up to our citizens to show that they do not approve of these things by making A firm demand that they cease.
 It has come down to a question of sorting out the sheep from the goats. Do you wish to stand with enterprise, thrift, and a greater Val dez? Or will you stand with the goats, putting aside everything in the shape of progress and doing all in your power to hold the city back? Valdez civic government is the laughing stock of every town on the coast. The actions of the mayor have been condemned by every paper from California to Nome, and our city has