, 1876-03-28

Tho awashbucllor Of tho Times is making
progress. In now column Of old yerbago |
he Inns actually approached dim compEehen-
sion Of tho diaoronco botwoon tho substance
and shadow In the discussion of tho validity |
Of tho city certificates. Ho begins to admit
that ho has not meant to impeaoh the validity
Of tho certificates themselves, except inns
much na thoy represent d dobt unlawfully in
CURED. Then ho hns failed with surprising
porsstcnoy md singular stupidity TO express
hiB meaning in words. But even now, nd
mitting aa ho docs in several pfaces that "it
is tho thing, city indebtedness, which tho
Constitution prohibits" and TINT "fer 50 q
form of words called n certificate is not pro-
hibitod by tho Constitution at all" even then
tho Times docs not disarow tho purpose Of
advocating the Reputation Of these cortfi-
catos, which Inns beon tho logical sequence Of
his previous utto1auces On tho Bubje How
evcr, having in soma measure driyon the
1Imes into IN acknowledgment Of the real
point in issue, it is now possible to discuss it
with bottor prospect Of arriving at the cf-
focts Of the theory 1t advocates.
Tho roal point in issue, thon, which tho
Times now professos to understand, is wheth-
or tho city may lawfully hco.ne tndebted for
any purpose or in any manner, ginco the
bonded debt Of tho city already oxcoeds tho
constitutional limitation Of per cont, Il 1t
may do so, then it Is lawful to borrow tho
money to pay snch indebtedness. aud 1t Is To-
gal to issuo certificates representing such in
IebtcdneBs To the city's creditors or to bank
era who may sec fit to cash thcm. This c,ln-
not bo denied Wo now understand tho
Times To maintain that it il not lawful to b.
como temporarily indebted for services, and,
consequently, not lawful TO Issue certificates
representing such indebtedness until tho ta1-
lovy therefor con bo first collected and dopos-
itod in tho City Treasury, and tho indebted
moss discharged with such money.
Let us takn q case In illustration Of tho
tho 1IM1<S lataat position in this matter.
Tho city is ovory day becoming Indebted for
services rendered by tho police at tho ratio Of,
say, 100000 mouth for tho services of
tho Fire Department ut the rate Of $bO.O10 q
mouth aud for tho services Of the school,
teachora at tho rato OF $C0,0O0 month";
making, wo will soy, st7o,ooo for tho month
OF March for these three branches Of the
sorvico. This will bo due next Saturday,
April !, aud payable dntler common usage
mud Justice fow days Inter. But 1t is now
known, md It was known at tho timo tho city
hogan to incur tho indebtedness to these per-
sous, TINT thero will not DO $4,000 OK
money In tho City Teoasusy On tho first day
of April, from tho collection Of taxes, viii,
which to pay OF tho indebtedness thus tenn.
porazily incurred. Yet those services have
boon contracted for and have bcon
valuable, II not Indispensable, to tho
city. Tho persons and property Of the citi
zens have been protected from violence
by tue police; tho Fire Department
Inns saved tue city from possible do
! structlon by fire; the toachers have
: boon employed in instructing 10000 children
j. who would otherwise be running tho street4
and growing up in ignorance to be bad citi
9ons. Heretofore we have understood til.
Times to object to tho issue Of certificates b,
which the indebtedness to thcso persous To-
their services could bo discharged; but now
ss we understand the Times, tho te5s ;tse1
|; cannot be incurred lawfnlly, for tie Tim
has been forced to admit that It III mt til
certificate that is prohibited by tho Conat
tuition, but tho monument Of tho dobt Wht
then remains, II tho Times be corroct in Il
, latest position, hut to discharge tho po}ic'
; the flremen, and the gohool-teachers It
, tho net or faet Of becoming indabted-that i
I Of hiring tho policemen, tho iremon, md Il