The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-11-12

to. They have a franchise, but not
an exclusive franchise. The utilit-
les commission can allow or deny an
other system, either by the city or
by others. The present investment
deserves protection, and the city de-
serves the use of water and the por-
ton 1t affords, so the day will come
sooner or later when the present sys-
tenn will be ordered improved and
extended or a franchise will be given
to another system.
Various councils and councilmen
have committed themselves to the
policy of municipal ownership of a
water system. either by pumping or
gravity, but when it involves pump
ing it rather naturally goes into the
question of municipal power and
lighting plant, and either one or both
of these questions have been too
large for Blackfoot's leading men
and too large for its citizens, lack
ing pluck and enterprise and con-
structive ideas as they do. Black
foot has not accustomed itself to
thinking in large figures. 1t added a
to can and had it read cant" 1t
took off the long enough to maca-
damize some, streets and then put it
on again as il in fear of taking on an
undesirable burden. 1t could have
built a gravity water system before
the price of materials went up, and
before the streams were appropriated
for irrigation, but now it would have
to pay more money and take streams
by the right of eminent domain, and
that looks as big as lion to some
people.
Blackfoot has raised enough
money for liberty bonds and other
war activities to pay for a water
system and is STRONGER FOR THE
EFFORT.
II Blackfoot's men were manly
men in the sense of constructive
craftsmanship, if they were plucky
and courageous in the sense of low
ing their town and wishing to be-
Queath something worth while to
this generation and the next, they
would 60 out and survey the noun
tain streams, the canyons and basins,
where pure water might be i'm
pounded, consider the obstacles in
the way of piping it in its purity to
Blackfoot, and when their engineer
finally said This is the biggest and
best this will cost you the most
money, but it will make you the
proudest on the day of its compile
ton, 1t will take you the longest to
build, but will develop your city the
fastest and longest; / will help you
to build a smaller one If you prefer,
but l shall be the proudest to help
you build this one because of the
great obstacles it affords and be-
cause of it's great value when COM
pleted," then these men of Black
foot If they were made of the kind
fstuff our army is made of would
take off their hats to the project and
join hands and hearts in saying.
Count me in on it for life, and my
estate will back it when / am dead
Blackfoot has such men, but it
hasn't enough Of them. 1t is rails
ing more men all the while, but it is
raising them in the atmosphere of
cant" About the only boys of the
town who are turning into real men
by swift process are those who have
donned the uniform and they will be
coming home next year If they live,
but they will not all stay. They will
have been in the whirl of real under
takings and real achievements, and
when they suggest doing things in
their home town, and the home folks
sit back and treat their offers and
suggestions with indifference, these
real men from the ranks of the finest
army on earth will 60 to other local
tiles and build water systems and
ansd stadiums and power
plants and factories and high lines
and good roads for them.
Blackfoot is now approaching the
parting of the ways, and whether it
rises to its greatest opportunities or
lets them pass, depends upon
or not 1T keeps the on the
can"