The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-03-26

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Editors Democratic lSasssn,sn--The con,r,.
nication signed 'TAxpayersn has. we ohser,re
brought response from the ssCitv Fathers
We are glad Of this for the fact shows opr
complaints have received some attention al
We think an over-sensitiveness is exhibited
In the tone of their reply-but we here rel,eat
what we said In our irst communication. that
nothing was intended as q reflection on any al
the members Of the body composing the
City Fathers On the contrary, It was said
we could hardly expect 20 get better men at
any election. And rs nothing was intended
against them then, so nothing Is now Nor
do We wish 70 see the city charter repealed
We like many provisions In the charter es-
peeially the provision quoted from article
sixteen m our former communication; and
as Il does not seem TO have attracted attention,
We quote again; That onehalf. 90 least, of
the revenue Of each year shall be appropriated
% aeiraying the back debts il any, owing by
An that we want is, that the city fathers win
observe this provision. II they win, there il
no danger of extravaganza, for as one-half of
the revenue must be used 20 extinguish the
back debts If any, il win be impossible for
them 70 be very extFavagant II is only the
power of going in debt which causes extrava-
kN4ACN NJ OuNs ttot tCttt q CIV Is
very evtTavagant with the money IN hand. IL
is only credit that is used lavishly.
So we say, do not let us repeal the charter
II is good charter, and has many wise limi-
tations in II against extravaganza, or going in
debt as witness the second clause of article
six, which provides that the debt of the city
shall not exceed one hundred thousand dol
lars, except by consent Of twothirds Of the
voters, and article fifteen, which provides
that +" The city shall not, at any time, become
a subscriber for any stock in any corporation"
We say again, let MS hold on TO our charter.
IL is a valuable franchise, and Il is especially
valuable to the people on account Of the
checks and limitations IN II on extravaganza.
Nor viii the city fathers find In our former
article any objection to the power of taxing
up to one per cent IL needed, On the con-
trary We rather thinksit Is needed at this time;
for there seems to be S13, 500sof debt now due,
which, by the provisions of The charter, must
be paid before we can do anything with re-
pairs and Improvements on the streets; and
much of the projected work on the streets
must be DONE which viii be expensive--neces-
stating tax of near one per cent, If not the
entire amount
What we meant to show heretofore was, that
upon the estimate made in your issue al the
nineteenth il would be impossible TO do any
thing whatever,s even 10 repair the streets, If
we did not have a cheaper government, for by
that estimate there was TO be collected $59, 500,
whilst the estimates, including improvements,
rose up to $7i,eOS, leaving due from us, at
the end of the year, debt of S11, 703, and
showing payment on the $13, 800 debt, now
to be provided for, Of only $1T97. We say
payment on the debt of only that sum, for who
ever heard or knew of city government in
which the officers did not first pay them
selves
Now, as there must be Production some,
where, in order 20 come out even, we thought
that reduction should come out of the expen-
SEES for offices and officers, especially as the
charter requires that ORe-hdlf at least of the
TeDenue shall be devoted to paying hack debts.
The amount of the revenue being stated at
| $59, 500 of course all the back debt due must
be paid, and we must have some work and
repairs on the streets
! Having found, therefore, the only place
reduction can be made, let us 20 TO work at II
eminent and let us preserve our charter.
For the information of the public let us on
the exhibit made, show the amount we pay for
offices and TO officers Of the city
For thirteen policemen, Including assistant
marshal, health officer and market master =. $40 sa6
For salary Of engineer, steam engine isse
For rents, stationery and printing 1900
For salary Of mayor, recorder, city clerk, mar.
shal, city physician, city attorney and city
Commissions to city assessor, who is also re- 'O'
cofaer .............,-..-......... 2yl5
SgIslO
This Is nearly half of the revenue, and is
quite half, if mot more, If we count the fees
allowed TO the mayor, city marshal, city at
torney and city sexton. These fees must
amount to six or seven thousand dollars and
are or ought to be, considered part Of the rev
enue, so that the ''Oity Fathers" viii see that
there must be areduction in the price paid for
the government of the city, or else they can
make no improvement nor repair the streets
The ''City Fathers" in their communica-
ton, made known that the 5000 of warrants
on which they are now paying two and one
half per cent per month, was debt contracted
/ by the Glenn administration.
The fact that they have allowed this rate Of
interest 20 continue for so long period makes
It the worse on them, for If they had but re.
Gently contracted the debt Il would be sup
posed that IL was intended only as n tenn
porary loan for some urgent necessity, but 10
let il stand so long is inexcusable.
The fact mentioned, that the mayor was in
fault in not voting for striking from the list
the salary Of city clerk, $500, Is only a relief
TO the members Of the council who voted for
/ that measure.
1t is proper here 70 state that the former
communication was written before the action
of the council and Mr.. Howard IN reducing
his fees as city treasurer.