, 1875-02-14

passed? But, as our floating debt is consid
erably greater than this amount, and as this i
the only means We have for paying it, we fai
to see how the collection of this sum, which i
| still contingent aud remote, will help us II
buy million dollars worth of extra fire
machines We must pay that increasing
floating debt Of several millions or our credi
is gone. We can raise no money by selling
bonds, as the constitutional Limit Of ou1
bonded indebtedness is reached already. Are
we to add or mills to our already oppres
Give taxes? Then, we can tell Mr.. HEsDER.
son, there will be more tax-dghting than ever
There will be organized resistance against an
| increase OF ta1ation by people who are
| already bearing too great burden.
t. Mr. Henderson, repeats the argument
about saving more than is invested, through
the reduction in insurance rites that will fol-
low. We can't understand, in the first place,
why rates OF insurance should be reduced on
account Of an increase Of fire-engines, which
Will be practically useless, owing to the mad
equacy of the water-supply. In the next
place, LII. HENDERSON, being wholesale
merchant and carrying large stock Of goods
would have stated the case more fairly if he
had said that the merchants want the real
estate owners to pay part Of their insurance
in the shape Of taxes
Z. Insurance rites will 20 down rapidly.
enough for the good Of the city without in
creasing the Fire Department beyond the
necessities of the situation. As they 70
down, and competition increases, there will
be the more serious danger Of over-insurance,
by incendiary fires aud fires from cnrclessneas
because Of big insurance. With over-insur- |
anca will come gross carelessness and frequent |
incendiarism~ The man who carries part Of |
his own 1isk will guard his property mora
r7gidly than when it il insured for al it is
worth OF more. Individual care prevents fires
and promptly ezinguishes incipiont ones |
while full or excessive insurance, dragging neg
lect and incendiarism in its wnke, is just the
opposite. As to Mr. HEvDERsoS's intimation
that the influence Of TIE TEmuSE in this
matter is driving good companies away from
Chicago, this is sheer nonsense. The compa-
lies come and 60 according to their individ-
A<AA A4AtS%cosS a4aA t4o pe1lO&ucA1 6E8Ie lQAt |
zones upon them
Personal carelessnea and recklessness
# poGcy-holders and failure to employ
prudent preventives, and their obvious
Indifference to danger in not protecting
heir premises,-thess are the things
Fhich cause fire companies to withdraw
nd others to charge high rates. There
; nothing that will SO increase the
aith Of fire companies and cause them to
over rates as general movement among
ouse-owners to render their premises less
able to take fire and burn up. We know
is very disagreeable to apply preventive
'easurea and expend care and caution.
eople-that is, agood many people-preferto
,joy the agreeable sensation Of the old devil I
ay-cars way Of doing things, with cheap t
surance and plenty Of it, and then "let her 8
I'm, who eares?" TIE TRIBUNE is not in &
Tor of returning to this system even with c
inforcement Of 81, zoe, 900 worth Of ire-ap- a
'ratus- It prefers more prevention and less a
re, and claims the right to say so.