Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-03-05
ORDINANCE NUMBER BLANK.

ascertain an expression of opinion
from the people Of Dallas concerning
the proposed purchase of the water
system with view to relying upon
their judgment, it is not quite under
standable why the, council should
have adopted the ordinance submit
ting the question of bringing the Dal-
las water works to the qualified elec-
tors in the face of overwhelming OPP
position to the measure. This op-
position by representative citizens and
heavy taxpayers was clearly shown
when Alderman Hayter, prior to the
adoption of the ordinance, presented
a remonstrance signed by forty-nine
business men and taxpayers of the
community as against four in favor
of the proposition, for the considera-
ton of the aldermanic body, which
was supplemented by Alderman
Knight s statement that he had inter
viewed thirty-one persons, all but one
of whom protested against the or
dinance. This, coupled with the fact
that the only sentiment expressed at
the mass meeting called for the pur-
pose Of getting the pulse of the peo-
pie was in opposition to the project,
appears to be conclusive evidence that
if the council was to rely upon the
judgment of the people in submitting
the question to the electorate for
their approval or rejection it plainly
erred in passing the measure.
1t was the sound business judg-
ment Of sagacious businessman that
attempted to halt this movement for
municipal ownership of this public
service utility while it was still robed
in swaddling garments, but the alder
manic body, without due regard and
consideration for its constituency in
the premises, threw caution to the
winds in its plan to mortgage the
community in order to gain control of
a convenience which we already pos
sess, and from which the capitalistic
lessee, or owner, is anxious to separ-
ate himself for reasons known only
to those of the inner circle, if known
at all. Under circumstances like
these the opinion of merchants, bank
ers and businessmen carry no incon-
siderable weight, it naturally being
supposed that their years of expert
ence in trade transactions sharpens
their business acumen to an extent
that makes their judgment almost in
valuable, but in this particular in
stance the signatures of these men to
a remonstrance against the proposed
undertaking was taken for naught.
But the will of the municipalities
governing body is paramount to that
of its subjects when there is deter
mination to perform certain functions
within its authority, and, therefore,
contrary to expectations, the measure
must 90 before the people regardless
of the consequences.
To even intimate that the council
men are impelled by anything but the
most sincere motives would be an eX-
aggeration of the truth, for The OBJ
server is confident that those who
voted for the adoption of the measure
had what they considered to be the
best interests of the city at heart
when they plunged into proposed mu-
nicipal ownership, the maintenance of
which institutions-no matter what
their character or where their location
may be-make a continual flow of eX-
penditures from the public fund a
fascinating pastime More than two
hundred municipally-owned public
utilities have become defunct during
the past decade, and many others are
being disposed of to private corpora
tions at sacrifice when found pos
sible, showing beyond a shadow of
doubt that the "fad' is becoming
unpopular with the man who pays
the freight. Had the members of the
council delved more deeply into the
matter. carried its Investigations be-
youd the confines of their own BALI
wick. and viewed the municipality
owned public utility wrecks that have
Uttered the country from coast toI
coast, and those that have been sue
ceeded by private ownership after be-
coming utter failures in the hands
of inexperienced and oftimcs deceit
full bosses and financial sleight-of-
hand tricksters, we doubt not that
the action of the council would have
been the reverse. There are. of
course, exceptions to the rule. and
should the measure now pending be-
fore the people be successful on May
10, The Observer hopes and trusts
that Dallas will be one of these, but
why it should escape it can see no
good and sufficient reason, for we are
not more intelligent nor more en-
lightened on these subjects than 9TH
ers who have failed.
Relative 10 tha merits of tba nron-