The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-03
VILLAGE AFFAIRS.

are somewhat muddled, and require the
considerable attention of all having the in
terests of the village at heart, and who are
not disposed to seek the forwarding of pri-
waite ends at the public expense.
That there is cause for complaint can
not well he denied. For some years past
we have been raising large taxes each year
for the purpose of paying off an old in
debtedncss which the village suffered pas
sively to I've cntailcd upon it, while, in the
opinion of many, it did not receive cor
responding return therefor. Each years
village report, instead Of showing the de-
sired decrease of village debt, has generally
shown an increase, and this year some nine
or ten thousand dollars has been added to u
debt that the people are extremely DESTROYS
of having wiped out entirely; and debt,
too, which the best interests of the village
require should be paid as soon as possible.
Nor has this been ALL The village trus-
tees have from year to year seen fit to ex-
pend the money indiscrminately, by
using upon the highways funds raised for
general village expenditures ard to pay off
Indebtedness. This is an unwarranted use
cuscd. During the past year, as the village
report shows, the highway expenditures
were $1,052.70. The highway tax was
$4,19091. Something is to be deducted
from this. The Attachments on the village
and highway tax are Jumped, when it
would have been somewhat more satisfac-
tory if they had been kept separate. The
total is S492. -, of which we may assume
onc.third to have been from the highway
tan This would show an expenditure
upon the streets and sidewalks, of SO, 1886. 08
that ought to have gone to reduce the gen.
eral Indebtedness, as this il above the net
amount received from the tax of 2j cents
raised as required by law for highway
purposes.
We have a pretty, lively, prospecting vii
lago, with romantic surroundings, inviting
to tho touriit as well as the business man
who means to bc permanent. 1t would
therefore assuagc the grief Of many for the
lost greenbacks If they could see more
monuments honoring the spots where the
portraits of the late Chief Justice Chase
were buried. Doubtless, they are wrong
in nursing these feelings, but it is at least
certain that money was spent in defiance
,f In, aud t1,ic thrnxvc ha AL nc
those expenditures upon the defensive, and
leaves the court of the people waiting to
hear what they have to say. If they are
prepared to assert that the streets were inn
passablc, and it was done to save tho pub
lie from expense for repair, there is reason
in that. But If it was rather the result of
a desire to make full years time, so that
each month might bring its per diem re-
turns for man and teams, and that stone and
earth might be sold, and interested jobs
finished, then the case wears a different as
pect more unfavorable to the defendants.
On these subjects the community may be
considered large interrogation point, wait
ing for satisfactory answer.
More than this A tax of twenty-five
cents was raised for the purpose of extend
ing a sewer-a work that was necessary,
and one that devolved upon the village tc
perform. This important work was COM
menced late in the autumn, and carried or
in the shortest days and coolest weather OF
winter, and finished (?) as nearly as it evcl
has been finished, in mid-winter, with al
expenditure thereon of $1,411.56 over the
appropriation. Now, when village officers
laid cement drains and took up cement
sewer pipes filled with water and frost and
relaid them in mid-winter, it was natural
forpeople to ask, why this hurrying slsurry!
And when the village report showed that
the whole appropriation and more had
been expended, the people almost sorrowet
for chance to raise monument ovei
those officers and to write the epitaph
''They had but one fault-they were toe
industrious" And when the sewer proved
in many respects failure, and in part, al
least, entirely worthless, the people begal
to be dissatisfied.
With such experience it is not strang,
that the citizens of the village should lim
the expenditures of the trustees in positive
language, as they did at the annual meet
ing, But, as often happens in collectiv,
bodies, they somewhat overdid the work
While they very properly raised fifty
cents towards the payment of the public
debt, they left the trustees without mean
to pay current expenses for the year Nov
the village needs fire department, gas
policemen, some printing, shade trees, ant
a margin for things unexpected. Let tn
trustees at the next village meeting com
prepared to fully enlighten the people as t,
what is really needed. Let them furnisl
estimates, item upon item. Where they d.
not know, let them at least guess. Let til
estimates cover the entire ground, and thel
the people will know what is wanted AM
what it is wanted for, and with the fact
before them, they can intelligently vot
for fifteen cents, twenty cents or twenty
five cents, as seems in their wisdom best.
Doubtless there is general indispositio
to suffer the hazards and inconvenience O
allowing our streets to remain unlghted, o
for permitting our fire department to b
discouraged or unprepared for emergencies
or for attempting to do without night watch
ing; and doubtless, too, the citizens will
vote what is needed when they are cntirel
satisfied as to what the amount is. Let tn
trustees then give the next meeting detale
and exact facts as to the grand list, tn
amounts, separately, that fifteen, TWEEN
ty and twenty-five cent tax will raise, an,
precisely what 1t is all needed for, and W
have no doubt the proper tax will be vot
ed, whatever that may prove to be.