OCR Text |
Show THE WATER BONDS WERE VOTEO. There wj a very Important election held in this city oft Tuesday if this Week, th- trd instant. But the fact that sin h an election was to be held did not appear t h' generally known, it was an election which wrfll have a more Important personal effect upon everj laxp.i.Mi- in Sail Lake for a getiefatldn to 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 , li t'iir. Ilian the Preslileiitial election could possibly have And yet less than one-tenth of the vote were cast on the bond proposition that were 1 n st on the comparatively minor Issues submitted on November 8th laM It Is true, of course, that at the November No-vember election Hihti- whs no property -tax qualification for voters, while there was SUCh restriction fit Tuesday's He, tlon. Yet the dftft n in e between 26,000 VOtee In the one case and 2147 In the other Is too wide to be accounted for on that basis. The plain fact seems to have been that the voters did not care about the result, they were not interested, inter-ested, and were Indifferent Whether the city were bonded a million dollars for water or not. Probably r.ot more than one-fifth to one-fourth of those entitled to vote, cast their ballots on the question. ques-tion. The result Is distinctly discouraging to the idea of a referendum. The thoor of referring to popular vote, questions of policy and of public administration, is based on the idea that the people are entitled to say what shall be dorie in public matters, and that they will take a deep and active Interest In such questions when these are submitted for their determination. And yet, here was a question affecting the Immediate and pressing needs of the city, and affecting affect-ing evefy taxpayer's pooketbook; but to It these same taxpayers, who are as a matter of fact vitally Interested In the advancement of the city, and in th-public th-public expenditures, paid practically no attention. Still, the bonds were voted1, though not by such a majority as shows that it was done by common consent, as ought to have been the case. The opposition op-position was about as lethargic as were the adherents to the proposition. Yet In a vote of 115! for the bonds to K2 against them there is little comfort by way of common acquiescence. We regret the small vote, while rejoicing re-joicing In the fact that the affirmative had It; but now that the decision Is had. let the work go on quickly as the officials have pledged the public would follow, and let as much concession as possible be obtained, on the showing that the city Is perfectly able to deliver the water it has contracted to deliver, and that It will demonstrate the fact, and ask iiuni . ssions accordingly In the contracts, modifications of the options, as such modifications will be earned by the first of July next, when the contracts con-tracts are to be signed. |