| OCR Text |
Show main wheel In a very strong political mnohlue. Sixth The, bill has many defects. It provides that tho commission may extend the water mains when the extension ex-tension would pa S per cent, but does not require that'll shall be done, it provides that a meter may be plared on the water pipes of any consumer by the commission, and that the expense ex-pense shall bo paid by the consumer. Seventh We would rather trust the city council that la directly amenable to th people, than to trust'an appointive appoint-ive commission that can only be removed re-moved "for cause" by a vote of seven out of ten.councllmen. Eight While we do not desire to unnecessarily oppose pur city council, yet we believe that they arc'only particularly par-ticularly desirous of passing this bill to fulfill their pledge to the people made at tho bond election, In fact. President Rrownlng stated as much before the Chamber of Commerce, and In this Hno we desire to call your attention at-tention to last night's proceedings of said council, and to the fact that they passed a resolutllon favoring tho passage pass-age of the bill, but refused, to go on Tecord as to how many of them had ever as ranch as read tho bill over, or Vwrw what It contained. Very respectfully respect-fully yours, (signed) S. H. Browne, Chairman Special Committee. OPEN LETTER TO THE LAW MAKERS PROTEST OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COM-MERCE IS MADE EMPHATIC. j Legislators Are Called Upon to Vote Agaln6t the Water Commission Bill Now Before Them. The following communication In tho form of a protest against tho proposed propos-ed enactment of the water commission commis-sion bill, No. 166, now pending borore the legislature, has been mailed by the chamber of commerce to each or the senators and members of tho house of representatives from Weber county. Ogden. Utah, March 2. 1900. Sir: The Chamber of Commerce of Ogden City has given much time of late In discussing two bills that are now before the Utah Legislature, and upon which you will soon have an opportunity op-portunity to cast a vote. The bills are tho Des Moines plan of city government govern-ment and the Waterworks Commls- j Elon bill. Tho Chamber has unhesl- tatlngly gone on record as In favor of the former and positively opposed to j the latter, as witnessed by the follow- ! ing resolution passed at. a special meeting of the members of that body on last Friday evening. Resolution. Ogden City Chamber of Commerce Gentlemen: Your special committee, to which was referred house bill No. 16C, relating to the creating of a water commission for Ogden City, report as follows: Whereas. This body approves the passage of the bill now pending before be-fore the legislature, providing for the Des Moines plan of city government, if entonded to include cities of the second sec-ond class with such amendments as ! may be necessary to the welfare of Ogden City; and urges the amendment amend-ment of the bill to include cities' of the sooond class; and bellovlng that under the form of city government provided by said bill the water system of Ogden Og-den can be as effectually and satisfactorily satis-factorily managed as by a separate board of water commissioners. Resolved. That we do not, at tho present time favor the passage of house bill Xo 150, providing for a board of water commissioners. Respectfully submlttod, ! HYRUM BFJLNAP. Chairman. In bringing this matter to your attention, at-tention, we .leelre to say that we are acting In the capacity of a special committee, appointed by said Chamber for this purpose. . . We have had the Dos Moines plan of city government under discussion for about eight weeks and, at a former meeting, endorsed it by an almost unanimous vote. Our reasons for supporting sup-porting Bald bill are: Flr6t Because under that plan the commissioners . are nominated and elected in a manner that Is as nearly non-partisan as we can get. Second They are to be paid a salary sal-ary sufficient to secure all their time, and much better government can be secured In that way. Third Because with each commissioner commis-sioner assigned to a special department, depart-ment, he will take pride In handling that department to the best of his ability. . Fourth Because wo believe In the end it would be cheaper, as it would retire 10 councllmen and a number of present heads of departments. Fifth Because the plan contains the recall, whereby a commissioner may be retired before the expiration of his term of office If It should become be-come necessary. Sixth Because the plan contains the initiative, that the people may Initiate In-itiate laws and ordinances, and tho referendum that the people may hold veto power in their own hands. We have had the water commission bill under discussion since Its Introduction Intro-duction in the house. First, before a special directors' meeting. Second, at the,, regular monthly meeting of the directors. Third, by a special committee of 6lx, consisting of Messrs. Belnap, Bostaph, Crltchlow. Smith, Pratt and Brum-mltt. Brum-mltt. said committee having reported the above resolution, and Fourth, by the members of tho Chamber with good representation, on last Friday evening, which adopted the above resolution, after a discussion of two hours, participated in by tho members and city attorney. The reso-utlon reso-utlon passed with but one negative vote. Our reasons for opposing the water commlasloin bill are: pirBt We are opposed to an appointive ap-pointive commission because it places them too far from the people, so that a man appointed for bIx )eara could not be reached by the people for that length of time, 'and then only Indirectly. Indi-rectly. Second Because, having endorsed the Des Moines plan, this commission would bo superfluous, and not at all contemplated under that system, and we are satisfied that Bhould we fall to get the plan at this session of the legislature, we will by next. Third We are opposed to a commission com-mission that Is expected to work for nothing. Small service can bo expected expect-ed from any commission that Is compelled com-pelled to work under a $10,000 bond and work for nothing. Fourth Under that system the only persons that could afford to accept an appointment would be the retired capitalist, cap-italist, whoso Interest It would be to keep the water rates high, that the taxes on property would be lower. Fifth Instead of the commission being a "non-partisan" commission, wo fear it would develop into a strictly partisan affair, and would become the |
