Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-03-27
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.


THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.
The Spring Election will take place
next Monday. What we sre most in.
terested in, is the municipal government
Of Ironton. 1t has become all import.
ant public interest, involving the expen.
diture of thousands Of dollars every
year. Heretofore the Council has serv.
ed without pay, except. we believe, the
past year. Every man who serves the
public should be we'll paid for his time.
and he should be required TO give as
thorough attention to public business as
he would 10 his own.
1t is said that the public accounts Of
the municipality are not in such con.
dition as 10 admit Of settlement. That
for long time the books were kept in
such manner as uot TO specify amounts.
That they contain mele registry Of or
ders without specifying any sums what.
ever, consequently no balances can be
taken from them. We are also in form.
ed that $4,000 have been raised by tax
for building school houses in the place,
and that $4,000 has been spent upon
the building now erected. That there is
900 to be spent in the erection Of an.
other house this year. The expenditure
Of large sums Of money is one Of the
high powers Of government, and the pub.
lie should not be left to nero conjec.
ture and hcarsay in order to know wha,
is done with their money. The law re.
qures those charged with the manage.
ment Of public funds to make annual
reports Of the receipts and expenditures,
but if anything Of the kind has ever
been done in lronton, we are not ad.
vised Of it.
We believe that Is, 900, we'll applied,
will construct as ample and commodi.
Gus q school house as the ono we now
have. 1t is said that prudential econ.
omy has not been practiced in the man.
agement Of the school fund. We charge
no one with delinquency until we are
better advised Of the facts in the case,
but one thing is self.evident, that no
public official Of the revenue should be.
come beneficiary in those funds, which
it is said, is now the case.
In most OF the towns and cities an
Exhibit Of the Receipts and Expendi.
lures are published every quarter; or
one a year at least, but nothing Of the
kind has ever been done here. 1t is
high time that an account be taken and
a reckoning had between the officers Of
the town, and the people that pay the
bills. Municipal Government, implies
the Government Of a free town or city.
Have we in fact such city or town
here? and can we have free govern.
ment over it urtil the people and the
municipality are emancipated from the
dominion Of monopolists and charter
mongers?
The Chartists claim the right Of run.
ming railways all over town; they are
now farming out the public landing to
the wharfngers, who pay them a rent.
The public may as we'll own tho wharf
privileges as the Ohio Iron and Coal
Company. We doubt very much wheth.
er any good wharf is built here until the
people do it.
Next Monday, the people are to elect
their officers for the coming year. We
sincerely hope they will select compe.
tent and Independent men. each Que Of
which shall count one in the Council.
The chartered monopoly here has firm
grasp upon the throats Of the people
here, and it has TO great extent absorb.
The powers Of the municipality, and
emasculated its government. 1t is for
the people to say whether the present
state OF things shall continue, or whether
they will see to it that we have q pru.
dent and faithful administration of pub.
lie affairs.
-PLEAsE TAKE NOTICE that from
e. Il r. IL