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Show I The Ogden j Peoples' Platform I Following Are the Resolutions Adopted by the Republican Convention to Which the Citizens Generally Were Invited, In-vited, Thus Making It a Non-Partisan Convention. The Republicans of Ogden, with other citizens in convention assembled, as-sembled, denounce the action of the present City Commissioners in granting gas and eleotric franchises for a period of fifty years with-out with-out adequate returns and for denying the people of Ogden sufficient time requested to present reasons why such franchises should not bo granted. We point out that one electric franchise granted five years ago by the last Republican administration, for a period of thirty-five years, fully protected the people of Ogden and authorized the city to reduce the rates for heat, light and power at any time, and also pro-Vided pro-Vided that, after the year 1919, the city could compel the Light & I Power Company to pay a reasonable occupation tax to Ogden City tor the said thirty-five year franchise granted, said occupation tax 1 to be fixed at the pleasure of Ogden City. Also that the said thirty-' thirty-' five year franchise reserved to Ogden City the right to buy the light Aand power plant any time after twenty-five years from the date it was f 1 granted, at actual cost of reproducing the system, which right has been estimated to be worth over one million dollars to Ogden City, rhat all of this was repealed and given back to the Light and Power company, though the said franchise had thirty years to run. Therefore, There-fore, we denounce the city commissioners for surrendering this thirty-year thirty-year franchise to the light trust without any just returns. We care not what excuse may be made for surrendering the people's right and for enslaving the people of Ogden to the light octopus for the next fify years, but we will be most charitable and say the giving away of the franchises by the city commissioners was one of the greatest blunders in the history of Ogden. We point out that the law does not permit the increasing of the salary of city officers during the term for which they arc elected or appointed, but it remained for the city commissioners to arrange for various city officials to resign their offices for one day and be reappointed reap-pointed after the salaries had been increased during the one-day of vacancy, notwithstanding all of the officers whose salaries had been increased in-creased were eager to serve the dear people before any such increase was made. We denounce such action as not only a violation of the spirit of the law but also as coming close to that famous political saying say-ing that "A public office is a private snap." We point out that the present city form of government in Ogden is a failure and we ask the Legislature to give us back the old form of city government or to give us the right to recall the officers and any franchises granted by the commission form of government. We point out that a committee appointed by the city commission ostensibly to prove that the commission form of government as con- , ducted by the Ogden commissioners was more economical than the old i form, but actually reported that the three Ogden commissioners cost ' " - ' "a over six thousand dollars per year more than formerly did the mayor and ten city councilmon. The committee consisted of the most prom-inent prom-inent men in Ogden. We point out that, in repealing the thirty-year franchise, the commissioners have made it next to impossible for a period of fifty years for Ogden City to own its own municipal light, heat and power system, so much desired by the people of Ogden, and we pledge our candidates endorsed to use their best endeavors to have the three fifty- year franchises revoked. We point out that the salaries paid to the commissioners, $4,200 and $3,600 each per year, were intended to pay for all their time to be devoted to the city's interests. We pledge all our candidates to give all their time to the city's best -interests, the same as would be required of them if employed by a private business concern. We pledge our candidates to give ample opportunity for a public hearing and discussion before granting any franchises, so that the public may be given special opportunity to present their wishes in reference to public utility franchises and the commissioners be guided by the people's wishes. We are opposed to three consecutive terms in executive offices. We point out that nature has located Ogden on the most beautiful beauti-ful sight in Utah and with competent officers and a reasonable low tax rate it will be only a question of time when Ogden City will be the most prosperous, if not the most important, city in the west. Arid we believe the election of the candidates endorsed by this convention will do much to bring about this condition. We pledge our candidates to conduct an honest economical busi. nosslike administration, continuing public improvement without any increase of city tax, |