Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-21
EXCESSIVE TAXATION.
Illegal Proceedings.
THE CITY DEBT.

EDITOR ARGUs-Dear Sir The Union
is constantly claiming that the present city
ad ministration has been so much more
economically managed than the Den oeratic
administration that preceded it, and also
claims that the city debt has be N reduced
twenty thousand dollars.
Il makes these bold assertions, bat don't
attempt to show in what respect i. has been
reduced, or cite single case to sustain the
allegations.
Now, let us see what the facts are, for it
is much easier to make assertions than to
prove them. Last year, under Democratic
management, the tax levied was twenty
six thousand dollars. This year, under
Republican management, it is Thirty Tro
Thousand, and this is more than was ever
levied BY any Democratic administration
that ever ruled Rock Island. THIS makes
difference 10 favor OF Democratic man
sgement of sic thousand dollars. Every
reader can easily see how much truth there
|
unreliable the assertions of that paper are.
Again, let us ask if 1t is greater economy
to pay our City Marshal one thousand d. liars
per year, a, now paid by the Republican
administration, than TO pay him seven hun
dred aud twenty dollars, the amount paid
by our previous Democratic ADMINISTERS
tons.
: will give another item of Republican
economy, or what call wilful and culpabl,
mismanagement 1t is this: During III,
3 year the Republicans have been passin,
? orders for the opening and widening o
streets, without any authority OF Law, an,
going through the forms Of long advertise
ments, liu order to give the Union az op
g portunity of putting its hands into the cir
= treasury, aud it is doing it, too, clean up I
the elbow, aud appointing commissioner
hAvirg expensive aud useless surveys made
This, | cay, has been done without th
authority of Law, and it WAS not throug
ignorance they did it, for they we're told b
n the City Attorney of their own appointin
that they cJuld not do so legally, vet the
:, went on and expended several hundred do
= lars, aud ell to 20 purpose whatever, iu.
% throwing away that much money for nutf
ing, unless it WAS to give the Union q lot
20 extra printing to do.
One word about the reduction of the ci,
Indebtedness, and | have done Instead
N reucing the Indebtedness of the city, q
IS claimed by the Union, the bonded indie btet
E. ness has been increased by tAe present il
s. competent administration one hundre
e. thousand dollars. Startling as this may b
At to the taxpayers tina, are already grosnin
b. under excessive taxation, it is the trutl
aud cannot be successfully re'uted, and II
u financial statement soon TO be made, if co
ii rectiy and properly drawn, will show th
= statement to be based on facts, thus ma
al ing the city Indebtedness more than dou b.
OF what it has ever before been during Il
i Guys existence. This increase of OF
ar 5ouded Indebtedness, will require an add
he tiOnsl tax Of ten thousand dollars annual
y to be taken out of the pockets OF the De
IS pie, to pay the interest alone on this add
IN tiousl Indebtedness and still there will /
left the principal unpaid, to hang like
IN pail over the heads Of bprdened reopl
re Why, our city clerk has been working nigi
re and day to prepare the new bonds.
o. Yet 10 the face of all this, the Union b,
Ii the brszeu-facedness to assert that the eli
tie Indebtedness has been reduced TWEEN
lis thousand dollars.
re The Union Of this morning (Tuesda
ed seems to think that there is battery
be Greek Fire somewhere in our midst, al
8 is actually trem bling with fear. Its edit
w wants johnson TO go home with him
.. night Tor fear he should stumble on Il
sbomiHsble thing. Does your conscien
Nv trouble you much, Captain? Take lit
IS cHtuip tea, and battle your feet on going
,r- bed. Then you may manage to quiet 20
re conscience q little-sn occasional dose
at Mrs. Wrnslow's soothing syrup might ha
a beneficial eject
ad ANTI .ExoRRIrAST TAXATION.