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The Commoner
MARGHfl?21--
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Outlines Municipal Program
for Lincoln
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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.
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: 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 '.
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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)
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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. Lafayette.
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