The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-12
SARCASM INJECTED
WILSON IS AUTHOR
ATTORNEY DISCUSSES Paw,
ING ORDINANCE
RAPPING CITY COUNCIL
Does Not Like "Slight-of Hand
Method; He Takes Issue
With Beach.

s. 8. Wilson, the attorney for the
Mankato Electric Traction company.
when told today of the attitude TAX
en- by Mayor W. A. Beach relative
to his communication regarding the
street car company and paving, said:
Il really would feel very sorry if
/ thought Mayor Beach actually
thought l was trying to tell him aow
he or the council should raise the
money to pay for paving along tAR
street car tracks, but he does not
think that. DR.. Beach already knows
that the only fair way to raise this
expense is for the abutting property
swner to pave to the center OF the
street lust the same as the abutting
property owner on any other street
where there is no car line. There
is no merit or justice in having this
expense paid from the general FUNDS
Of the city and no one knows that
any better than DR.. Beach and mem
bers of the council.
The mayor in an open meeting OF
the council stated that an ordinance
would be submitted 10 the vote OF
the people in form satisfactory 10
us, and the city attorney and
agreed upon one and then without
the courtesy Of consulting US, the
council adds a clause in this ordi-
nance which states that this ex-
pense must be met by the taxpayers
at large. This was no part of the
subject of the ordinance and in my
opinion is illegal, but | construe the
presence of this clause. which We
happened to discover as an effort
to defeat the ordinance in the cleo
ton have no doubt but what it
would defeat it think it should
defeat it-that was not part of the
question which was to be submit
ted to a vote OF the people. That is
another question entirely. and view
ing the submission OF the question
to the people as TO whether the
Street Railway company should be
relieved OF paving along its rails as
the Street Railway company, re-
garded this slight Of hand addition
to this proposed ordinance as
blow below the belt right at the
outset l am satisfied that it was
added with the intention OF turning
votes against the measure as it
nd necessarily do. It is absurd
70 say that a property owner on
Lewis street SHOULD help pay for
paving in front Of property on Front
street Just because the street rail-
way track is there.
Attempt At Scare.
a few weeks ago the council in
yited the public to attend one OF
their sessions to discuss this mat
ter, and right at the outset, Mayor
Beach undertook to scare OF all Of
the friends of the Street Railway
company by asking those present to
give expression as to whether or not
they were in favor of relieving the
company from the cost of paving
and having such expense borne by
the city at large. He was not fair
enough TO let those present suggest
that they were in favor OF relieving
the Street Railway company and
letting the abutting property owners
the street just as they would have
to do if the street car tracks were
not there. Some of those present
Suggested that the abutting property
owners should pave to the center of
the street but the mayor ignored
these suggestions and the members
of the council were then silent on
this question. Anyone can see that
many people would vote to relieve
the Street Railway company of tae
burden of paying for paving along
its tracks, who would not vote to
have that burden paid by the city
at large. instead OF having the abut
ting property owners pay for II. The
Street Railway company has no OBJ
lection to Mayor Beach submitting
the question to a vote Of the people
as to whether this expense will be
AUDITING property owners, but 1t
does seriously object to having this
measure injected into the question
as to whether or not we are to be
relieved. which was the only ques-
ton that the council ever discussed
with us as one which they were
going to submit to. the vote of the
people. I am perfectly willing for
the people of this city. If they will
give this matter moments thought,
to determine whether or not we are
irving to tell the council how to
meet this expense or whether we
are merely trying to save our life
from the aggression of city coun-
ell who has not yet manifested any
disposition to make it possible for
the Street Railway company to con
tinue TO operate. This seems to be
a question as to whether or not the
arbitrary strong arm of the city
council shall prevail or whether the
Street Railway company win be Civ
en- that Cooperation which is neces-
sary to permit II to continue in bus.
iness. It's a funny world, isn't it,"
Williams Armenian