Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-11-04

In the following communication TO
The Record, Professor +. r. West
makes reply to the city commission
and William 4. Reynolds, city man.
ager, for its answer last week in re-
gard to his arguments regarding the
water system:
"To The Alma Record:
"When the writer undertook a lit
tie discussion of the bonding propo-
-sition it was with no idea Of antag-
onizing his friends on the Council
but it was with fear and trembling
that he read their formal document
which was sent in reply. Were it not
for some new and misleading inter
pretations given to his article, the
writer would make no reply TO their
communication at this time.
"The writer believes that there are
two sides to every public question
and that it is the privilege of any
citizen, who is called upon to give his
moral support and his financial aid
to proposition, to discuss such
proposition. This the writer attempt
ed to do in his weak way and as a re-
suit of such an attempt the Council
have seen fit to intimate that he is
unconscientious and wanting in the
qualities that make good citizen.
Whether this is the accusation Of Mr..
Reynolds, who wrote the article or
the Council which signed it, the writ
er does not know, nor does he desire
to make reply to the accusation.
"A recent public speaker made
this statement, To the small mind
ehere's but one side to question and
that is his side.' Freedom of speech
and freedom Of the press are the
foundation stones upon which a
democracy stands and if these are
denied we have absolutism and not a
democracy. The writer desires to
commend the attitude taken by the
editor of this paper in the matter
when he says, The Record has al
ways welcomed communications on
community questions that both sides
of the case might be brought out
''The writer further believes that
the general public in these days are
not influenced to any great degree
by press articles and then only so
far as they help them in getting all
the facts and after these have been
secured that they will do their own
thinking.
Some twelve years ago when the
renewal of the franchise with the
Alma Grain & Lumber Co. was up
for consideration the writer wrote an
article for publication in which he
advocated the putting down of wells
and the pumping Of drinking water
through the mains, and in his article
of two weeks ago the very first par
agraph reads as follows: "Any city
without pure drinking water and a
good sewerage system will always
have high percentage of sickness
and disease, and without doubt, the
taxpayers of the city will heartily
support any proposition that will
give them suitable drinking water
The writer fails to see where there
is anything to indicate that he is
opposed to pure water proposition
but, quite to the contrary, he pre-
diets the success of any such propo-
sition.
Nowhere in the article does the
writer say that he wants positive
truth without the slightest suspicion
as he is quoted to have said by the
opposition, for, after twenty-five
years of scientific study and re.
search, he has come to the conclusion
that there is no such thing as posi-
tive truth
THE writer stands corrected OF
the cost of the pump. 1t should hav,
been $500 and not $1,000. The cor
rect figures were in back number
of The Alma Record but the writer
did not take the time to go and ge
one.
THE writer is opposed to the pres
ent bonding plan for at least foul
reasons:
First. He believes the wells hav,
been unwisely located. The origina
site would haze given water at n,
greater depth, it is a much NOR,
beautiful and suitable location, i
has railroad connections so that al
the fuel can be unloaded directly a
the plant without being hauled
would give pure water as it is ia
away from sewage, and is on an ele
walton so that a standpipe would no
be required or at most only a VERY
low one. One plant at this place woul,
furnish both water and electric ligh
at cost. The Central Michigan Ligh
q Power Co. was quick to see tn,
value of this location and purcha
it.
with the city plant in this loca
ton. the present site which is nat
urally adapted to park purposes of
peculiar kind as no other place il
the city is, could be made bcaut,
spot by letting water in at the up
per end and thus producing man,
small streams, with islands an,
rustic bridges, together with aquati
plants Of many kinds. The citizen
should avail themselves of sue
places in the various parts of tn
city before it is too late. Such
park would give a fine introduction
to our city to those coming in fror
the east over the main trunk lin
road.
4 Second. He believes that the de
cision to bond has been too hastil
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