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Description: Alexandria, Va. Page 14
Date: April 5 1912Newspaper published in: Washington, D. C.
Page/Column: 14
Washington Post April 5,1912 Alexandria, Va. Page 14
SNOWDEN ANSWERS LABOR
Alexandria Mayoralty Candidate for Municipal Ownership.
Expresses Views on Other Public Issues, in Reply to Questions by Trades Council.
Washington Post Bureau,
703 King Street, Alexandria, Va.
The political pot is boiling in Alexandria, and candidates for the office of mayor and for the board of aldermen and common council, to be voted for at the Democratic primary on April 23, are making an active campaign.
On Wednesday the Alexandria Trades Council, through a special committee, submitted to the various candidates a series of questions as to their views on public matters. The first public reply came yesterday from Hubert SNOWDEN, one of the candidates for mayor, who declares that he is in favor of the municipal ownership of electric and water plants, if it can be shown to him that the city can properly maintain and operate such plants as efficiently as under private ownership, with greater revenue to the city.
The- Alexandria Lighting Company has a long lease on its franchise in this city, and Mr. SNOWDEN directs attention to the fact that the Alexandria Water Company operates under a state charter, and has a contract with the city. He declares himself in favor of a tax on the water company for the use of the streets, if such a tax can be legally imposed. With reference to questions concerning compulsory education and free schoolbooks, Mr. SNOWDEN directs attention to the large colored population in Virginia, and adds that such matters are regulated by the State legislature.
Answering a question with respect to his position on the maintenance of a night school in this city, Mr. SNOWDEN declares that be introduced a resolution in council several years ago having for its object a night school, which Col. T. H. FICKLIN, one of the teachers, operated for a while. The school was closed because of lack of attendance. Mr. SNOWDEN reiterates the stand that he has taken for many years with reference to street improvements, and expresses the opinion that the greatest progress in this direction can be made, and more streets improved, where the owners of the property to be directly benefited contribute a portion of the cost.