Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-06-12


Our CITY TAXES AND FIxANcEs.-The
financially depressed condition of the City
with the obvious causes that led to it, are at
this time the subjects of universal and excl.
ting conversation, and those who have been
the perpetrators of this evil are loaded with
anathemas from one end of the town to the
other. Two years since, this system of ex.
travagant expenditure was inaugurated and
was brought into full active operation during
all of the last two years. Prior to the period
mentioned. the city was healthy, fourishing
and prosperous; the tax upon property was
light and no complaints were heard, and tax.
alton was no bar to sales or improvements
Our city expenses per annum were abon,
$4,000, but some changes made in the Coun
Gil in 1857 completed its infamy. From thai
moment till the elections of 1858, which
brought in some new members, the whole
body by its acts, appears to have been abso
lutely corrupt They assessed property al
four times its value, and levied the ruinous
tax upon the city of $l9,S00O. There are
individual taxes and assessments in the city
running from $4,000 to $4,000, whose in
comes were not the half of this tax. These
are terrible facts. Now what has become OF
the money? Look on Third and St. Antho
ny streets. Here the people paid for mac
adamised street the Council accepted, (who
knows for what consideration p the work as
completed Fl ON the contra ctors, when it was
mere burlesque upon old County roads,
Tens of thousands OF dollars we're here sauan.
dered, yet these were not tile kind of men tt
part with such extravagant Sums without a
share in it. The only men who prospered
in our town for the last year were Street
Commissioners and Street Contractors.
Our chi f concern now is to know how to
Tighten the load for the present, that by rigid
economy and perseverance we may weather
the storm, and recover from the evils which
have been inflicted npon us This is prob
lem not easily solved. The ho:est elements
recently Incorporated in the CITY Council
have effected already reform in that body.
But still there are greater evils to contend
with. Thousands of poor laborers, princi
pally Irish, were invegled here by H. NJ.
Rice and his political confreres under pre-
tence Of receiving high wages, and plenty Of
work, but in reality to do the voting and sus-
tain him in power. AS the men arrived they
were given in charge of Charles l.. Emerson,
and VIM b. McGrorty to be provided for at
the public expense. In proportion to their
numbers the burden of taxes increased-
These men brought nothing with them, ere
atcd nothing after coming, but have lived for
two years at the puolic cost. The Pacific
Railroad under direction of lmund Rice
used them for few days last fall, and at an
other election in the winter, then turned them
off as yagrants upon society.
The treatment of these poor Irish has been
shameful IN the highest degree. They were
brought here under false pretences kept here
under false hopes, and are now suffering in
tenscly from the criminal conduct of their
leaders. To support them last year brought
ruin upon the property owner, and his ruin,
in turn, now ruins them. TO raise anything
more from property to support these men is
a we'll know impossiblity. Er nil Mill tit.
We are all exhausted together. These roor
men are objects of compassion, not contempt
The crimes of Rice, Emerson, and McGrorty
does not attach to them. 1t is true they put
these men in power and lined their Golfers
with gold, but the Captains never gave the
rank and file any share of the plunder. Now
these Captains, who but yesterday we're as
poor as the lowest Irishman that swings his
pick, lave become the great wealthy nabobs
Of the land. They can give bountifully, nay
extravagantly, and not feel it, and they
should be forced to give. Ii. NJ. Rice, Ed
Rice, Emerson, McGrortv and their political
associates brought the Irish here to do the
voting, and override the tax paying influence.
These poor strangers did as in their appie-
hension was right, and brought power and
wealth 10 those they supported who are now
morraly and religiously bound to, in turn
take charge of the destitute Irish. To their
kind and generous care we commend the pre-
sent privations and sufierings of this worthy
portion of our community. These men are
abundantly able, out Of the spois of the city
alone, to he liberal and bountiful. 1t must
come from them or not come at ALL for just
so sure as another attempt is made to fasten
them upon the public charge, it will be resist
cd by force that knows no restraint.