The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-08-04
MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC
f7 Light PLANT
DISCUSSION OF A SUBJECT VITAL
TO THE INTERESTS OF
MADISON
VITAL MEETING TONIGHT
CITIZENS HAVE TWICE CAST A
MAJORITY VOTE FOR MUNIC-
IPAL PLANT

Twice the people of this city have
voted bonds for the erection of an
electric light and power plant. On
two separate occasions their ballots
obligated the city commissioners to
act in accordance with their wishes,
Notwithstanding this, there are
among the defeated minority those
who are not satisfied to abide by the
decision of the majority, and it is
they who are agitating for the re
consideration of what was supposed
to. be definite, settled legal action.
The first bond election was allegal
not through the failure to receive
majority favorable to the building OF
a plant, but because the time set fol-
the maturity of the bonds exceeded
the legal time limit At the second
election the time limit of the bonds
fell within the requirements of the
law and large ma iority of the votes
cast were favorable to a municipality
owned and operated plant. Ii that
majority of four to one is not suffi-
cient collective judgment in the mat
ter of projecting a needed municipal
enterprise perhaps the reins of city
government had better be placed in
the hands of the inferior voting
numbers in order that they may ship
wreck every city undertaking.
Weeks went by after the first cleo
tion, but absolutely nothing was done
by the city commission towards get
ting down to business and rushing
along the work of building a plant.
This exasperated four hundred citi-
zens to such a degree that they pre-
sented a petition protesting against
further waste of time and money,
end ordered the commissioners to
proceed with the calling of second
bond election, as mentioned above.
A citizen who has twice cast an af-
firmative vote on municipal propo-
sition is rather suspicious that those
most insistent in requesting him to
decide for a third time have one OIL
more specially designed axes to grind
Ii may be true that few people
have changed front and are now IA
vorable to the Northern States offer
but that does not signify that enough
have changed to seriously affect the
majority that looks TO the city com
mission for action along the line oi
their expressed will. There are alst
men. yes, and women, too, who have
left the ranks of Northern State.
boosters and are now demanding thai
the project of building and equippine
q plant go forward at once.
The Daily Leader has been called
unfair by one of the unfairest paper!
in the city, simply because it refused
to boost for the Northern States prop
osition and unflinchingly held to tn,
conviction that the very best thing fol
this progressive city to do was t.
build and maintain it's own utilities
out of its own resources. 1t stand
for municipal independence-and be
lieves that plant of our own is th'
most economical and the most de
pendable method for providing TO
the city's electrical needs. Thes
columns speak only for those who PHI
their faith in the ability of Madison
to take care of her own business ar
fairs and erect her own public works
III this constitutes charge of un
fairness we stand indicted. 1t has no
been necessary for this paper eithe
to "slur, abuse or mislead," nor d,
we wish to force" our opinions OF
the other fellow. Our conclusions OF
public matters are based on what ou
Judgment says is right. and from tina
position there is no recedence. /
there is any Northern States horl
footing to be done-thanks; NOW
prefer to save our lungs, type an
time and hand over all concession :
the party most willing.
Personally, The Daily Leader ha
no fault to find with any member O
the city commission, but it reserve
the right, common to all free citizens
to criticise any or all of their officia
acts or attitudes, insofar as they re
late'to the public welfare.
Within q few days ii has been
year since the light plant burned, an
in the whole twelve months the com
mission has got NO nearer com
pleted plant than the issuance o
bonds ordered by majority vote an
forced by q petition signed by fou
hundred citizens. Mr.. Voter, do yo
consider that expediting importan
business?
Tonight the commission meets i
regular monthly session and part Q
the business to be transacted 10 tn