Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-03-01


last. Council proceedings, which
perhaps, it would not be amiss Il
make a few remarks upon. TIL
Mayor would seem to base his oh
lection to signing the two order
referred to in his veto message Ia
we will style it) upon the want o
authority in the Council to donate
or give to the Ere department o
this city the amounts called for in
said orders. He says "all bills must
he sworn to before they can be al.
lowed" Is that so? And will he
not sign any orders unless the bills
are sworn tog Who swore to bills
for the orders that were issued for
the payment Of engine No. 2l Nc
one; but the Mayor did not refuse
to sign the orders on that account.
So it must be something else than
the want of "little swear" attach
ed that kept the Mayor from sign
ing said orders, and this effort to
make the public believe that he re-
fused to attach his name to said Or
ders because there was no authori-
ty in the Council to vote moneys
for the assistance of two fire COM
panies of this city, is too transpar-
ent to need any comment. But /
would like to enquire of the Mayor
where, in the Charter of the city of
Alpena, he finds his authority for
refusing to put his signature to the
orders authorized by the Council
AS l have always understood the
Charter, it authorizes the Council
to say what orders shall be drawn
and when such orders are authoriz-
ed by the Council, all the Mayor
and Recorder have to do is to sign
and countersign such orders. Their
duties are merely clerical. II the
Mayor has the power thus to veto
the will of the Council, the sooner
we know it the better. If he has
that power, the Recorder has the
Same, and thus the city affairs may
be brought to standstill by the
arbitrary, stubbornness Of either of
these individuals.
When the Council saw fit to do
nate ten dollars to each of the fire
companies, the Mayor had no bust
ness to interfere with it. The fire
companies could do with the money
what they saw fit. The Mayor and
his "tutor" would have the public
believe chat the companies were
going to take the money to pay sa-
loon bills with. That is not so, for
when he sent his veto to the Conn
Gil, the bills which he termed saloon
bills, had already been paid by the
companies. If the taxpayers think
it will be cheaper to pay their fire
departments than to donate now
and then ten dollars to volunteer
companies now organized, they can
soon have the opportunity, for an
other such move by The Mayor will
make the french feel as though
they, were not Of much account,
ard the sooner they disband the
better and especially will this be
so if they feel that the Mayor is
backed by the people in the matter.
The simple facts.of the case were,
that during tue past six months
there has small bills accumulated
against each of the Are companies,
aud the attention. Of some of the
members Of the Council was called
to this, and the Conacil voted to
place ten dollars, in The treasury of
each Of the fire companies for the
benefit and help Of said companies,
and after the orders were drawn
for the amount, tho Mayor refused
to couutersign the orders.
How long since the Mayor COM
menced to he so strict in obeying
the very letter of the lawl won
der if he has forgotten the amounts
that he collected for licenses in
cash and paid the same over to the
City Treasurer in city orders, when
orders were at quiet a discount.
Now, the law provides that public
officers shall pay over the same
kind of funds that they receive.
If the Mayor was looking so
closely after the interests of the
public, as he claims, why did he ,
not show this same interest when
he School Board were making up
heir estimates for the present year,
md refuse to Recommend the same I
10 the Council. Hero he could
nave saved the public the snug lit
10 sum of $4,000, but the Mayor
loes not veto this or try to, nor {
Ices he make any objection to S
'aising this amount; perhaps his :
being treasurer of the school might ,
rave had some influence in this
natter.
The firemen do not want any.
hing but what Is right, but they ,
AN not help looking upon this .
natter as a little the smallest and c
most contemplate that has hap e
lened to them since their organi- !
alton.