Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-06-22
aa6raa Price and the Clsv Cesn'
I'll.


EDlroR DEnocRAr Mr. Hiram Price nas
taken upon himself not only 70 give grsss
deal Of advics but aleo severely scoid tne
members Of the City Council he raises
the cry of eoon>@t advocetes the reouc'"s'
Of the city ofReisis salaries; also OF striking
out the small compensation Of $lOo per s"'
num allowed the aldermen,
Now let US make practical examination
and zee il his tall 10 consistent with MS
aeta. Wheegse blames sheuA b free ron.
blsgss himself viii not say much aooas
The three or four thousand dollars ne 10
drawing from Government, as kepresen-
tative from Iowa in Congress, though IN
justice to himself, Mr.. Price should scorn
- take . cent, ii he insists that the Aidef'
men shonld forego their salaries.
But TO the main question: Mr.. Price mas
within the past and present year, petitione.a,
the Council for improvements, which, II
granted, would draw from the City Treas
ury thousands Of dollars-the expenditure
Of which would Be Of no general advantage
to the city, but benefit,ing Mr. i'r,ee e'Ay.
Let " see Last year be wanted Perry
street improved, and magadninson'Iy volun.
teered to sell 70 the city . certain piece OF
land to widen said street, for the triiilng
sum Of fifteen hundred doltars! In add.
ton to this the grading he SO much desired
would have cost the city, ct . low estimate,
three tnousdnd dollars mOre-making 81
SOC for an improvement, no doubt eventually
necessary, should the city continue to pros
per, but for the present, entirely unnecessa-
ry-beneRttine only himself! This Is .
specimen Of his love Of economy in city ad-
ministration
Only lately Mr.. Price petitionsd the pres
ent City Council to pay him ~ cents per
yard for " tho earth he would remove from
the lot upon which he resides and is now
improving, to 7th street, between Brady
and Main streets.-a street that may remain
unimproved for many years to come-and
price that would have made the tax payers
Of this city pay nearly the whole cost OF gra.
ding said tot There Il economy for you!
With such pertinent facts before me,
cannot conceive by what right,-m what
semblancs Of justice, Mr.. Price assumes to
preach economy to city officials. May It not
be that this sudden conversion on the part
Of Mr.. .Price-unequalled except, perhaps, in
the experience of Apostle Paul-was begat
only when he sscertained that the present
Council would not permit him to plunge his
hands to the elbows into the city treasury :.
And yet, may it not be that there exists
still another, and more important reason
may II not be. as is publ ely canvasssd on
the streets-that no inconsiderAble PORTION
Of the bonded debt Of the city has found .
lodgment, At . very deep shave, in the pock.
cts Of certain citizens Of Davenport Should
such be the case, such conversions IRE by
no me ss,s a n ahie-uo wonder If they
attempt to get control of the city admins
trntiou!
"A word 10 vindicate the action Of the Al
ldssSsen On Friday night-alluded to in the
DEMOCRAT could see no argument in the
address ef the Hon. Hiram Price, on that oc
casion, that demanded An answer. Observ'
ing so much Of anger in his last harrangue
thst ndt only myself but. Others thsdsht u
unbeconing In the Council to deign to no
tice such al unprovoAed and passionate in
suit. Our answer to him was simply 20
proceed 70 vete. On the question under de-
bate, without further comment, which was
decided, adverse TO his wishes. Thst was
the most afittiSe reply that taS aAhamen
could hare made, under the circumstances.
T.