The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1922-03-23
GAS FRANCHISE PROPOSE
TIoN is TOPIC OF DAY
City Council to Publish Proposition
and Submit 1t to the Voters
at General Election

view of the late developments. which
bid fair to end in merry war be-
tween those favoring and those OPP
posing gas.
After the city council had reject
ed the franchise submitted by Nc
Quigg and associates, delegation of
prominent citizens organized with the
idea of reviving the issue.
The first though was a city ticket
to be composed of franchise boosters,
but this gave way to the suggestion
that it would be advisable to deal
with the present city council and en-
deavor to secure an agreement
whereby the matter would be check
ed up to the voters at the coming
municipal election. After some ne
gotiations sufficient number of
councilmen indicated their willing
ness to submit the matter PROVID-
ED a satisfactory franchise could
be worked out between the council
and the McQuigg's, and with the un-
derstanding that the matter of the
rate and the time of granting left
to the voters. This seemed accep-
table all around and last Saturday
morning the council met with H. M.
and Frank McQuigg to work out a
satisfactory agreement. Saturday
evening the meeting re-convened and
lasted most of the night, with the re-
suit that practically all points con-
tested had been adjusted.
On Monday following, Mayor Grif-
fifth, together with Councilmen New
by. Malone and Wright went to To-
peka to submit the proposed fran
chise to the attorneys for the Utili-
ties Commission and other franchise
attorneys.
The council did require that be-
fore submitting the proposition to
!. the voters, they would require "a
large petition, and during the past
few days, hackers of the franchise
have been securing the necessary
signers. e
1t is hoped that a satisfactory work
ing agreement between the McQuiggs
and the council can be reached in the
near future and if this is done the
franchise will be published and every
legal voter in the city will have an
opportunity to express themselves at
at the polls as to whether they want
gas for Liberal or not.
One of the interesting sidelights to
the gas controversy, but which is real
ly collateral to the main issue is the
method of procedure and the argu-
ments put up by the opposition. After
most all arguments against the fran
chise had been successfully answered,
municipal ownerhip boom was insti-
tuted and petition asking the coun-
ell to submit that proposition to the
voters as we'll as the franchise was
circulated with apparently good re-
suits. But how many will vote for
municipal ownership, when they under
stand that it will virtually mean new
bond issue. or voting for bonds to IL
nance putting in the system that Will
perhaps cost upwards of one hundred
thousand dollars when the city is al
ready top-heavy with bond issues ana
new ones for the new high school,
remain to be seen.
We venture the assertion that II
the boosters for municipal ownership
were asked to sign or circulate peti-
\tions calling for bond issue, which
will have to be done, before the city
could put in gas plant, if the propo-
sition did happen to carry, there would
he few who are now protesting their
interest that would support it.
The city council is showing dispo-
sition to be extremely fair about the
matter, and certainly the citizens com
m;ttee has met the council half way;
Messers. McQuigg have conceded
lot. They first asked year to begin
work, and now they have, greed TO
have the system completed within
twelve months, which seems reason
able. McQuigg first asked that the
franchise be extended at the expira-
ton or that the city take over the
nlant at its value at that time; it was
opposed to and McQuigg agreed to the
removal of the clause. These were
the principal talking points OF the
franchise opponets, and now about the
only thing they have left to harpoon
the franchise with is "the city owner
ship dream, which is impractible and
which a large number of citizens, we
think the overwhelming majority,
could III afford. IF LIBERAL is TO
HAVE GAS SOON WE MUST