The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-05-01
TIE MAYORS ADDRESS. 81
At She meeting Of Tho CITY con nei, iss,

the state Of the city financially and other
wise. IL Is not my purpose. however, to ell
ter into any extended remarks AT this ti,nc,as
the policy have pursued IN the past year
will necessarily hayo 10 be followed In the
one we are now entering. 1t has been said
that the last. or, so far asI am concerned,
the present city government has done moth
ing during the year that is past, and by doing
nothing has thereby not been a dangerous
administration. In reply l have to say that
~ long asthc appropriation past by the City
Council was uncNpcndcd, all of the city oili-
cials had enough to do. And in proofof this
point merely ask reference TO the records
of the Council in the first five or six months
Ia show the expenditures in that time. IL
has been and is now my determined pur-
pose, whenever the appropriations for the
year are expended. to immediate stop all
improvements except those absolutely nee
essary for the protection and safety of the
citizens. Tor the sake OF harmony, we will
admit that the administration has not done
much, and thereby is not dangerous. | think
we can safely say, IL would have been much
better tor the city of Cairo If the same could
he said Of some OF the pat administrations.
If some of the past city governments had not
been 50 dangerous, and 80 lavish with their
expenditures, the present Administration
could probably have been able to procure
more funds 10 prosecute some of the public
improvements so much required for the ben
elit of the city. In other words, II there had
been less expended on pump machinery, and
railroads, and less scrip ands bonds thrown
over the Ohio leyec in their.usc, and fewer
bonds exchanged for scrip at the rate ii 33l
pcrc cnt, 1t would notnecd to have been said
that this administration has done nothing.
Nut, on the other hand. when the finances are
such A. TO take all of taxes allowed by law to
lie collected to pay the interest on our indebt-
cdneSs, and 10 keep up the necessary repairs
Of sidewalks, q O., II will be seen ut a glance
that no improvements however necessary can
be made. The legis lature OF this state pro-
hibis any city from lowing, and collecting
tax greater than 3pcr cent. the total as
seSscd valuation. Therefore | believe, that
If the mayor and tho city council OF the city
Of cairo were ever as much In favor of pub
lie improvements. they could not possibly
prosecute them. We are forbidden
by law 10 increase the indebt-
edness of the city by i.suing new bonds
o, her than to pay existing Indebtedness.
We are prohibited from issuing any
more scrip, over aud above what
VIII be taken up In the coll
lection Of taxes, licenses, &C.. for the cur
olation of the city charter, and our oaths of
Office, either OF which 7 do not believe the
past council OF the present ono will be viii
ing to do. |lal..| .
We have collected this year money to pay
all OF the over due bonds of the city. amount
ing to eleven thousand four bundled dollars
including interest, part of which has been re-
deemed the balance will be as soon ~ II i
collected. We have reduced the amount OF
outstanding scrip eight thousand two hun
Ireu ana siNiy-threc dollars ana thirty
five cents. making total reduction of the
ihdebtness of the city nineteen thousand six
hundred aud sixty three dollars and thirty
I'VE cent?. And should we reduce the out
standing indebtedness like amount :cach
year u WI take lnlly ten years to reduce the
tional limit. While am as much I'm favor OF
public improvements a. any citizen can be,
! "eheNe IL Is the only remedy we nave lett
W heep Ieuuciil. uiie inue anu at the
snuic liuic 70 ne ~ lenicnt on toe taX-psy ers
as IL Is possible to he, If more work were
performed more taxes wouli be required;
anu lhht DeihS necessarily the case know
Oh no taxpayer but what thinks he pays
enough Already; .
nave cxOendcd these remarks 10 show
that IL L. not the fault OF the present admin
lstration that they do not launch out into
extensive improvements. 1t Is the want OF
money and being in want OF that, tits use
le,s to 'croak about public improvements.
As stated before II we had some OF the mon
ey IN the treasury that has been expended,
anu no permanent improvements made by
the expenditure, we might be able to i'm
prove our streets, ill UP our low places, and
nc some time or other we could possibly.
look forward To the time when wa couid
nave MED our city above periodical HIGH
sIPE WATER MARK.
for fuland complete statement OF imam
ccs of the city. on the fret day of April,
\, ID. 1871, Respectfully refer you to the
clty comptroller srcport herewith submitted.
1t embraces statement for tile month
OF March 1914, Anu also iill statement of
the fiscal year enolnS Apfll lsl,lS'i
While we nave exceeded IN the aggregate
mae nundco ana hlty-two collars and
eiyhty-seNen cents Tue amount appropriated,
II you give Us credit Tor special assessments
collected and yet TO be collected for side.
walks, you will lind that we are within the
appropriation nom S2,O)Ot TO $1,000.
Gentlemen. before leaving this part OF my
remarks, there i one matter wish TO bring
specially before the council and which was
strongly recommended by me to the last
council. My recommendation was TO find
all OF the Outstanding city scrip ana make II
payable IN one, TWO and three years, collect
ing each year the amount necessary 10 nc
| collected to pay principal ana interest. one
objection IN the way AT That time was the Ten
PCT cent. interest bearing scrip. NOW that
lhat mas Dceh zone away win anu no more
interest," allowed on new scrip issued. think
| II would De sound policy TO nnd what Is out
slanding,and them keep within the approprl-
atoms ana issue no more each year than can
DC taken up WIN taxes licenses, etc. Moth
| ing III my Judgineni Would De more s.oser-
wont W tno pc. iIsoIos.s VI uic Guy. uus'
tiie Goiiihii.. 't' ON nianto win give TINS mat
Yer their earnest nt.ehtloIi' anu NJ tne Same
time give IL that que consideration That TINS
question DEMANDS. .
III mas pcen suRgesteu 10 me ny some MEM
Ders Oh the cry council To dispense Win IN,
services ol INC street superlntehueht anu
Guy coinptrolIcr. WhIic ari IN iaV0r OF re-
uucihg the expenses Oh me tlty, laii 10 see
Where the city can DC lmucii pementcu by
alspen:,hs WIN t,csc oils,nls, ane mem
n nj A N 4