The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-05-23
VILLAGE AFFAIRS.

VILLAGE AFFAIRS.
We notice that special village meeting
has been called for Tuesday evening, May
Both, to see if the village will vote tax
sufficient to meet the necessary current OK
penses of the year.
1t is to be hoped that there will be full
attendance of the taxpayers at this meeting
and that tax may be voted sufficient to
cover all the necessary current expenses of
the village.
The village corporation is heavily in
debt, we are aware, yet it is no sufficient
reason why a tax should not be voted to
pay the current expenses. Rctrenchment
and reform are proper and right and per-
haps should have been commenced ere this,
but there is n limit even to economy in
public affairs. The officers of the village
should not be embarrassed in carrying for
ward such measures as are for the absolute
good of the public, and such as cannot be
abandoned without dCtriment to the public
veal \ certain routine must he kept in
operation for the public convenience and
safety. Our village is in reality a city, al
way, and the Board of Trustees represent
city government without the extraordn-
ary powers granted to council and board
of aldermen, thus making the expenditures
and disbursements for current expenses far
less in amount, and enabling us to save
thousands of dollars which would other
wise he professionally expended or wasted.
Are we not as well governed as Burlington
under its city organization, and with less
taxes ?
The Board of Trustees must be sustained
in all legitimate expenses, and we have no
fear of the abuse of the power placed in
their hands. They cannot use the power
granted them unless they have such appro-
priatons as are sufficient to carry on the
every day affairs and legitimate operations
of the corporation. That sufficient appro-
priations were not voted at the annual
meeting is evident to all who have consider
cd the subject, and it has compelled the
Trustees to ask for it, and unless the tax
PAYERS shall vote (Which they most certain
~ ought toy a tax, to meet the necessary
current expenses of the year, they will be
compelled to cease the lighting of the
streets. discontinue the night police, ant
otherwise cut off expenditures which arr
absolutely necessary for the protection o
the property and the safety of the lives an'
persons of individuals. Do our citizen
desire darkened streets and unsaf
thoroughfares =? Is it economical or SAT
to have such condition of things Thes
are questions which the people should con
slider and discuss.
An important vllage like Rutland, rapit
ly growing and expanding, must have eS
traorlinary expenses. They cannot b
avoided. The health and safety of tn
community demand them. There ma!
have been error and mismanagement il
some departments in the past, but we thinl
not in the legitimate current expenses o
the village. Such especially as are ac
knowledgcd to be indispensable and requis
Ito for oon,,,on welfare. We quite agrc
with those Who dtspand payment of til
doht and call for retrenchment and rcfon
in some of the expenditures but we mus
most earnestly dissent from tle view o
some that the property of the village shoul
not be protected by night police and til
persons of individuals saved frori harl
and, perhaps loss of life by the Iresenc
of authority, or from bodily injuries tina
might be received while passing throuS
our darkened streets at night fall. Ou
town is now orderly and quiet un9er 'h'
restraint of wholesome safeguards pu' We
onprebend, should these be abandonded as
they necessarily will he after June list unless
tax is voted, rowdyism would be devel
oped, accidents would occur, and numer.
Gus other ills would befall us within thirty
days, such as our citizens would regret
An ounce of prevention is better than O
pound of cure" is an old adage that should
DC acted upon in this emergency, and the
Trustees should be furnished sufficient
funds to carry on municipal affairs in such
manner as shall protect the community
and save the credit and good name of the
village.
The Board of Trustees are quite right in
calling for a tax instead of assuming TO
run the village in debt or incur personal
liabilities in the management of the trusts
committed to them. This is an evidence
OF their intent to give us an economical
administration and to proceed no further
than they have funds to carry on the
proper functions of the corporation, even if
they must stop the wheels of government
until they can pay as they go"
We have board of Trustees composed
of practical business men, who can and
will heed the public voice, in an econom-
ical administration, and will not ask any
thing unreasonable at the hands of the tax
payers. A majority of the Board, at least.
Messrs Cramton, futile, Dunn, and Otis,
have had large experience in business and
know the wants Of the corporation There
fore let the voters come out 10 the village
meeting on the Both, candidly discuss the
subject, and vote such tax as may be neces-
sary to carry on our municipal affairs.
PERILs OF INTOXICATION.
1t is common notion that there is for