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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1921)
W" The Commoner MARGHfl?21-- u Outlines Municipal Program for Lincoln r ' m A- i. .r The municipal primary and election "will be held in April and May' respectively, at which Ave commissioners, who will govern the city during the coming two years, will be chosen. The com missioners after their election choose from among their number one who serves as executive head of the city or mayor. Former -Mayor Charles W. Bryan recently gave to the press jjt Lincoln a statement in which he discussed meas-" ures in which the citizens of his home city were interested and suggested a number of things 'which he thought Lincoln needs and should have, and mentioned a number of things that Lincoln did not need and should not have" forced upon It. Mr. Bryan's statement follows: In my judgment there are a number of things that Lincoln needs And should have and a num ber of other things that Lincoln does not need and should not have forced upon it. It is apparent to all that conditions are not satisfactory at this time. Men are being laid oft in the shops, mills, factories, stores and of fices. The earning power or income of the peo ple has been in a great many cases cut iir"two and in a great many other instances has been wiped out entirely. Ah thnrA hiiftthemi nrt proirram formulated In w- Lincoln to meet and remedy the conditions out- l lined above, and as a number or progressive measures- that have .been provided by .city gov ernments Jn. otner citiesror tne protection 01 tne jpeopie and to enable tne municipalities to grow n? riovoinn havA 'not. been provided by our fecity officials so .that we can keep pace with other pities, I will suggests a number, or .tnings, tnat houid bo. done. for Liincom people ana a iumDer Irtf. ntlter thines that Line .n neonle shouldj?uaroV Nigainst', , I will only state these measures at this time but wm discuss ,cacn measure sepa rately In a later statement. - . : TurTTTcrriftATvnnAT.;vA"P'n i A municipal coal yard should be " established in oraer to restore cuiuijoui.iuu uuu, i u, aouu Uble price at which coal should be sold. This 'would easily save to tne .people ?4u,uuu per year fin their coal bills. Other cities have .them. MUNICIPAL ICE PLANT Ttipr nhould be a municipal Ice plant es- UnhHRhfifi in Lincoln to restore competition la lce and to fix a 'reasonable selling price, A I municipal ice plant coma reauce tne price ot ice 40 per cent . to the people, saving about 425,000 per year on ice tmia ana snouia De aoie to pay for the ice plant in ten years out of the profits of the business. Other cities are doing It. MUNICIPAL- PUBLIC MARKET a Trmnir.innl public market should bo estab lished In Lincoln to restore competition, in the selling of produce, vegetaoies, iruit, etc. mere ciimiiri be k Ravmtr of S10 0.000 a year in the cost of living by ajsroperly constructed and op- .oq1 TMiblir market.. Thlff would not hurt the I grocery stores but should be a benefit tot;them, and it would encourage trucK garaening ana .would provide a home market for the farmer's fruit, vegetables, produce, eggs, poultry, etc., without requiring him to lose the whole day in peddling his produce from house to houpe. Othet; cities have provided them. REPUGE PRICE OF GAS The cost ot gas can, and should be reduced.- In the meantime the gas bonds .should unvoted bo that Lincoln can. protect itself by building its own gas-plant if . necessary. " MODERNIZE TRANSPORTATION" SYSTEM fThn trftrifinnrtation. svstem 'of Lincoln should be modernized, and by doing stf, the fares could be reduced, the company put on a paying basis and the people be given a modern up-to-date system as other cities are doing. ' CLOSE IN PARKS The money raised from taxes' to develop, parks should be spent developing, parks down4A the city as other cities have, been dolng, where they ...n nainlo i-iv1T lion fham WtVirkllt" Tin vln cy '. h " T-iT , iair gxHUHuu ., .- y. .?? - ' sf The present charter authorizes the council to establish &ones anywhere necessary to protect "buildings, such as the capjitol, university, resi dences, etc. The plan that was under way four years ago to widen the east, west and north ap proaches to the capitol building and park the centers of these streets should be carried out without further delay, which could be done without much expense. REMOVE ROCK ISLAND ROAD The plan for removing the Rock Island rail road from the Antelope Valley and building a union depot that was well under way four years ago should be completed. BASEBALL PARK The city should provide a permanent baseball ,park and provide additional ground to complete an up-to-date eighteen hole golf course. RESTORE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT The legal aid department that was. discon tinued four years ago should be re-established at the city hall so as to provide an attorney to make collections, settle disputes and attend to legal matters ' for persons not financially able to employ a private attorney. DO NOT NEED There are some things that in my judgment Lincoln people do not need and that they should see are not forced upon them. They should not permit the Traction Company to be unloaded on the city of Lincoln, as was attempted last fall under the law passed two years-ago that provides appraisement without permitting the people to vdte on the price. The people rshould not permit the gas com pany to be forced on to them under the guise of municipal ownership under the appraisement law 6r-a. condemnation- law as the financial interests back of the gas company are now planning to undertake. WILL BE DECIDED DURING COMING , .: . . - . TWO YEARS The disposition and future of the traction company and gas company will be decided dur ing the coming two years. The decision reached as to who- shall own and operate those plants and on what basis carries grave possibilities to the future growth and development of this city. If those plants are unloaded on thecity under appraisement or condemnation proceedings, the price at which the city would be compelled to pay might double the taxes of every taxpayer in Lincoln and make it necessary for a high rate for gas and high streetcar fares for the rest of our lives to pay the interest on the investment. If the traction or gas company desires to sell their plant to the city, they should state their price. The people could -then decide" whether to buy, and the people would know from the purchase price what the price of streetcar' fares and what the cost per thousand feet of gas would be be fore they put their head into a halter. MUNICIPAL LIGHT PLANT The municipal light plant should be. extended so as to be prepared to supply light "and power at a reasonable price. If the private light plants want to sell their plants to the city, they .should come out in the. opea and state their selling price, otherwise the city should not consider purchas ing them. KEEPOUT STOCKHOLDERS No stockholder of the traction company or the gas company should be elected or appointed as a-city official this spring or anyone having a financial Interest In these companies or anyone - who is under 6bligations to the Jlnancial Interests back of these two plants, as it will be as impos- - sible during the next two years to serve two - masters as it was to do so two-thousand years ago. IMPOSITION ON TAXPAYERS No additional taxes should be added to the peoples' already heavy tax load. The suggested bond issue of $250,000 to build new police sta tions, fire stations, etc., should not be sub mitted, and. if submitted, should be defeated by 'the people. The new buildings are not impera tively necessary during thexjoming two years, i and to add unnecessary taxes is an. imposition on the. public that the council, should not require the tfeople to defend themselves from. Ifwo'ifan establish a municipal coal yard, a municipal ice plant and .a public market we can - save from $150,000 to $200,OOX) on the cost of living to be spent for other necessaries of Jifo, and by the reduction of our gas rate. and mod ernizing our streetcar lines, with reasonable fares, it will enable Lincoln to again compete with .other cities, 'and In place of closing fac tories, mills, shops, etc., we should be able to bring to Lincoln other factories, mills and shops, p,ut our laboring people to work and put Lincoln again on the up grade for tho growth, develop ment and prosperity which it so richly 6c serves. ASK MR. BRYAN TO BECOME CANDIDATE The signs point to a red-hot city campaign in Lincoln this spring. No candidates have yet been announced positively. A half dozen men of prominence have been tentatively proclaimed as candidates, but all have retired from the run ning. It is an odd situation. Thousands of men and. women have petitioned Charloy Bryan to become a candidate for mayor, but thus far he has declined. The people want Bryan because they believe ho Is the only man with sufficient courage to protect the city and its people against the ravages of the coal trust and kindred com binations of profiteers. During my weok in Lincoln I saw a score of petitions being cir culated by people who had been robbed by the coat trust, and other profiteers. The petitions wore addressed to Charley Bryan personally, ap pealing to him to permit his friends to make him a candidate for mayor. I know Charloy Bryan is pretty busy, but still I hope he may consent to be elected mayor of Lincoln. I have a special grievance against tho operators of the fresh fruit trust, largely owned by Lincoln capi tal, and I believe C. W. would make tho robbers sweat a little kerosene Columbus, Nebr Telegram. . .. PETITIONS C. W. BRYAN The Central Labor Union, representing the thirty-two grafts of Organized labor in Lincoln, has petitioned former mayor, Charles .W. Bryan, to become a candidate for mayor at, the. city election this spring. The communication -from the labor union is as follows: ' - - Lincoln, Neb., February 26, 192X. C. W. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb. My dear Mr. .Bryan: The Lincoln Central Labor Union directs mo to extend tb you the thanks and appreciation of its members for the able address made to-them at their last meeting upon subjects which are of vital moment and Interest to them. The delegates also direct me to request for them that you become a candidate for mayor of Lincola at the coming municipal election. Very respectfully, L. G. DAVIS, Secretary, of Lincoln Central Labor Union. (Seal) - A MUNICIPAL TRADE COMMISSION - (From the Miami, Fla., Metropolis.) - Recommendations of rWilliam Jennings Bryan to make provision In the city charter for the appointment of a trade commission and of a board of conciliation were adopted by the city charter board at regular meeting Monday- night. The trade commission is to deal with disputes that may arise between merchant and customer, such as charges of extortion or unfair dealing, while the board ot conciliation is to have power to investigate differences between employer and labor, with a view to adjusting misunderstand ings and avoid strikes or lockouts if poss blef The board shall be limited in its powers and not be a board of arbitration. Among other provisions adopted by the board Monday night were sections dealing with the holding of elect'ons and with franchises and public utilities. "Sub-section No. 29 of Section No. 3. To create a municipal trade commission consisting of one or more members similar in purpose, plan and authority to the federal trade commission. Sub-section No. 30 of Section No. . 3. To create, a. municipal board of conciliation with authority to investigate and report on disputes between employers and their employees; such reports to be for the information of the public only and not binding on the parties. "The people shall have power at their option to propose ordinances, including ordinances granting franchises or privileges, and to adopt the same at the polls, such power being known as the initiative. A petition, meeting tho re quirements hereinafter provided and requesting the commission to pass an ordinance, . therein set forth or designated, shall be termed an initia tive petition and shall be acted upon as herein after provided' . , t " I Will Humanity has won its suit (in America) so that 'Liberty will never, more be without, an asylum. 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