The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-12

Upon this plank Mr.. kiene VIII ma
/ that he is in entire harmony with the
mayor and present administration as
we'll as with the public at large. NO
man would dare to run for mayor IN
/ Topeka on a platform of oNerturnlns
: orr nresent successful municipal own
ership of the city lighting and water
systems; nor of opposing the extern
sion of such ownership when pracu-
call
! Mr.. Kiene goes on:
In line with this plan, til, the
lighting and water plants shou1a
be consolidated in the interest of
I economy and arrangements should ne
I made so that mt short notice. the city
! lighting plant may be enlarged TO 1urnlsh
light to the people t at ds near With f4 AZ mgnic
ipally owned plant, now furnishes iig 81 no no
the homes of the citizens at ohe-thlru 'ne
price paid i'll Topeka.
The rnavor and Commissioner New
( land, in charge of water and lghtlns
plants, the stare Journal believes, ana
the other three present city coinilis-
/ sioners favor the consolidation OF the
lighting and water plants. In taklhS
/ this plank, Mr.. Kiene slips a plank
over from Mayor Houses principles
and that of the mayors city associates
and announces what might be called
an axiom of municipal Importance
i but also a plan which cannot be hur-
riedIv carried out. involving large
| bond issue, which would nave TO pe
! submitted to the people.
/ In the last part of the plank above
! ouoted kiene favOrs a municipality
owned plant, which shall not only
furnish light and water. but the en-
largemert of the plant so it may FUR
! nish light to the people at as near cost
as practicable" This. of course,
means that another bond issue which
/ would have to be voted upon by the
| people before any administration could
/ carry it out and which is somewhat OF
an exceptional phase, inasTnuch as at
the present time we have a large and
successful private pant Inc Topeka
which is furnishing light. heat and
power to the public. 1t may be that
! Kansas City's municipal plant Is fur
nishing light for commercial purposes
at a much lower rate than we pay in
/ Topeka This is important, if alto
gether correct and is doubtless under
( Investigation by the present mayor
and commission
Meanwhile, the city can profit by
the Kansas City. Kansas, situation
and. if the Kansas City. Kansas, city
| government can supply light to homes
and business houses at a much lower
rate than the Topeka. Edison company
is supplying it to our people, this is
something that demands the early at
tention of the Edison company; which
| is claimed to be a very efficient com
pany with an up to date plant and if it
cannot maintain prices as low as other
| efficient organizations. it puts itself in
the way of inviting early competition.
Mr. Kiene continues:
Expert accountants employed by the city
found that there is now due the city from
the Topeka Edison company over $4,000.
Steps should be taken to collect this money
| at once.
Just why Mr.. Kiene should inject
this plank in his platform is not on
the face quite apparent. because
Mayor House and the city commission
have been trying to collect the thou
sands of dollars which it is claimed is
due the city from the Edison COM
pany. The city can use the money.
The mayor and commission endeavor-
ed to get an act thru the legislature
which has just adjourned. which
would provide payment by the To-
peka Edison company of a percentage
on the gross receipts, instead of on
the net receipts; the net receipts of
any corporation being more or less
hay, nebulous and uncertain PROPOSE
ton. However, the legislature is ad-
journing this week and the bill in
lquestion unfortunately has gone to
the scrap heap.
1t is now up to Mayor House to
continue his best efforts to collect this
account or so much of it as can be
collected There is no doubt that the
mayor agrees exactly with Mr.. Kiene
to the effect that steps should be
taken to collect this money at once"
but we all have collections we would
like to collect at once; but there
are obstacles and limitations.
The next paragraph of Mr.. Kiene s
statement goes into the gas question
and is as follows:
The city is suffering from an unsatis-
factory gas supply. Should l be elected,
l promise that it will not require the goad
Of public Indignation to force me to take
an interest in the prevention OF an outrage
make effort to ascertain why Topeka
| gas users should be required to pay &c
! cents for gas while the citizens of other
, cities of the state are charged but 10
There is but one city in Kansas where a
J0-cent rate is charged. and that is Topeka
The city should have executive who
would meet such a situation wnen 1t arises
aud use the power placed i'll his hands by
the people to prevent the discrimlna ton
and correct the evil.
All there, now we have it, The
gas question is like Billiard, taxes and
death, always with US and the gas it
self is with us part of the time; some
OF 1t In the summer, when we don't
need it so much. and less of it in
: the winter when we do need it more
but the mayor, unfortunately, cannot
solve this gas question Even Gov
: ernor Capper, ranking above a mayor
has tried to solve it but without sue