, 1873-11-30
THE NEW CITY GOVERNMENT.

During the campaign preceding the 1ato ofoo-
tion Of municipal officers, tie orators Of thu
"peot,le's Patty" indulgod in vehement doc]ar
nations against the extravaganza OF the Admin
ietrations Of Mayors Mason aud Medin, md
promised tho yotcrB that II they triumphod, TO
tronchmont, economy, and reform would DO the
rule OF action tn tho now administration. II tho
now administration executes tho pledgos that
wore gwen, while it may surprise many OF tho
persons Who opposed its election, 1t will, novor-
tholoss, rccelve tho cordial support Of all ta1-
payers and right thinking citizons Of Chicago.
At tho very threshold of lts career, 1t has
grand opportunity to redeem its pledges OF
economy and low taxation, and at onoo win tho
confidence Of the ontlre community. prcco-
don't for tho action which We urge WAS sot by tile
Administration Of Mayor Mason. In June 1871,
the Common Council passed an appropriation bill,
appropriating tor the oxponHcs Of tho current
ascoycar list Of April, 1871, to lst Of April 1879
over 9l 0o0 900. Tho great fire OF October, 1871;
occurred boforo tho ordinance levying ta1oB to
moot that appropriation had boon passed. Tho
Finance Committee Of tho Council reported that,
"in Wow Of tho. great calamity which has be-
fallen our city. re have doomed 1t advisable that
eyory expenditure Of money which could DO do
forrcd should not now be made, and wo have
doomed it proper To cut tho tax loyies down to
tho loIost possible rate consistent with tho duty
OF paying expenditures for the f1acal year al-
roady nude, and Of carrying on tho City Gov
esuueut for tho balance Of tho present fiscal
rear" Also, TINT q 10 mills, With tho reduc-
tion which should bo made for property de-
stroyed by fire, will, with great economy TIE bo-
Heyo, be sufficient, And not dollar beyond Whist
Is necessary should DO raised at the preaeus
timo."
The appropriations made that year would
havo required q tax levy Of over Is mills on
tho valuation or asaolsmcnt Of property, with
cut any deduction being made for property de-
stroyed by the fro. This action WAS taken un-
dor the adwco OF the Corporation Counsel, who
hold that there Was no necessary connection be-
tween the tux lovy aud tho appropriations. An
appropriation not being contract, 1t IL optional
with tho City Government ut any time before
the Tux levy is made, to cut down tho e1pondl-
tures. This appears to bo the conmon"seuse
view, rs tax.hghtors could have no standing in
court upon Ill objection that tho taxes Woro not
large ouough; no reason is perceived why the
ordinance leyying tho taxes could not be framed
80 AZ to show on i.s face just what appropria'
tons tho tnx Was lowed to raiso.
II is known that in june 1871, when e7cry-
thing was prosper GUS. aud people wero all max.
iu; money. tho appropriation OF $4,0o0.000 nm
not rega:lod a. excessive; III fact it was abou
tho game as that Of tue previous year; but th
great lro changed the aspect Of affairs, and th
people had no longer tho ability to pay for or In
d,I;o in such expenditures Us the appropriation
Of tllat yoar called for. Every useless appro
priation, and every one for which there was n
absolute necessity, was dsrogardcd, and no to
levied to rnise the money therefor. For thei
ncton In refusing to leyy tux Of Is mills, an
fu:cutting down tho levy, in fact; below 10 mills
for this rise ard economical action, the couuc
aud other city officers received tile praise m
thauHs Of all tax-pnyers..
Can our new Administration do like CON
naendable net aud receive the tAanku, lie graf
tutlo Of s1l our citizens. both OF those wh
el'cted 1t aud Of those who opposed its election
Te answer, 1t cali II it will. aad we proceed t
alow how IL cau La dome.
Iu June Ia.t Tie Council appropriated over 81
oillious OF doilalH for the expouscH OF IL
dscal year. ending 1st Of April nox
THIS appropriation may have been Q:
trayagant when mado, but timss Wol
good, und the pooplo, thinking they were able
poy taxes eycu to tllat amount complained b1
tit!,s at tho opormous emount appropriate
Tiu.es have changed, the panic has bcon upe
us, money is close, and people have not Il
ebility to pay which thoy supposed they wou
have when tho tesos for this yeur's appropri
sious would have to DO paid. Tho fact th
nsariy o,.e ,nallion Of dollars Of property vi
allowed to so to actual salo, last month, for ci
taxea Of 1872, shows oonolusively tho couditit
Ut tho people gouerally 10 to their sbtuty to p!
taxes. .
The ordinance tor tho levy OF taxes for 1877
I, g., for tls levy of taxes to pay these appr
pr;asjous OF over ak millions OF dollars, las n
got uaen passed; III other words, the ts1-lo
haB not boon mndo.
Many items OF expenditure provided for
this large appropriation can, and ought to
diupcnead with. There sro soVernl englr
hnuaes and somo scool-houaoR that neoa I
now be built. There IL tho appropriation
olosnsing tho North Branch, 100000, viii
might 60 over another year. There are vatls
items, votocl by Mayor Medill, but PASSED o
his yoto by tho Council, which might be
nored by refusing to lazy = tax to ratae
money thcrofor.
OF tlln six millions Of dollars, less than
and halt millions have been spout, and
otl,er four millions and odd hundreds OF tn
i d,1riafx tie rhulaiu