The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-07-23

tnat anytnlng looking W REPUTATION
has not even been thought OF by them.
THos. w. HALLIDAY,
Chairman OF Finance Committee, City
Council.
The ordinance to levy and assess taxes
for municipal purposes, being under dis
cussion in the city council, Alderman
Rlttenhouse moved, as an amendment,
that certain amount be designated for
the payment Of interest upon the bonded
indebtedness Of the city. The amend
ment was voted down. We incautiously
said that this smacked Of reputation,
and was an evidence that the council had
determined to not pay any more interest
upon our public debt. The communica-
ton Of Alderman Halliday has convinced
us that we were mistaken. The council
does not mean to repudiate. 1t means
that it can't pay. The difference must
be apparent to every one. The council
has levied and assessed $50, 600 for NUM-
opal purposes. OF this amount $40, 600
have been specially designated for the
payment of levee certificates and out
standing city scrip. This leaves SIS 900
in the general fund to which is to be
added about Sl2, 600 from licenses and
other sources. This makes total of
$27 600. out OF which the council may
appropriate money for the payment of
the expenses of the city, the interest on
bonds and any bonds That may become
due during the fiscal year OF 1877. 1t is
a fact, that S27 900 will not pay all these
expenses, and the city will therefore be
unable to pay its interest, or some OF its
interest, and due bonds. Willing to
pay, it will be unable to pay. This,
OF course is not liquidation. Alderman
Halliday says it il not, and we agree
with him. 1t is simply step. AS the
alderman gently puts il, toward that
plan OF partial relief" from the payment
of the heavy burden OF interest on our
bonded indebtedness. which the council
has in view. We think we understand
this, and believe the term partial re-
lief is a most excellent one. Ii the
bondholders don't understand it now.
they probably will in due time. Being
assured that there Is no reputation in the
municipal atmosphere, we breath much
more freely than we did before. We
don't refuse; we won't because we can't.
That is the situation. and it is altogether
satisfactory, because we can't in fact.
When the bondhollers throw off half the
principle or half the interest, we will
again be able to pay: but until we get
this partial relief we can't.
The card of Sheriff Irwin requires at
our hand little explanation. We are a
young man nearly always in search OF
information. In tact, we pine for infor-
nation. Presiding over the local
columns Of the great and good BULLETIN.
with as much dignity as ability. we
are expected to gather into them all the
local news OF the dag. If the local news
mill grinds out items with slowness. the
distinguished proprietor Of the BuLLE-
TIN religiously damns us; and, not hay
ing time to intimate that we are lazy,
emphatically asserts that we are, thus
decorating our sensitive disposition, clip
ping the young wings of our aspiring
genius and making us wish that these
Rrrv
were all in a place that is hotter than this
hotter than this 4; were all in u place
that is hotter than this. Recoverin :
from the shock of an upbraiding of this
kins, our aspiring genius again
spreads its wings. and we fly forth after
items. resolved TO obtain news or die in
the glorious attempt. In these moments
OF exaltation we remember that Bulwer
mad. Rchelieu declare that in the
lexicon of youth. which fate reserves
tor bright manhood, there l. no such
word as fail. We hear ringing in our
ears the cheerful words You'll be q
bishop yet, Louis" We meet man OF
tired aspect. His eyes are bloodshot-
his clothes are dirty--he is the picture OF
| despair. TO him we say: MY covey,
how are you: What's up = Then he
tells US that he has been robbed. that
| confidence men have taken him in, that
he has been assalled by rufiians, etc. We
gloat over the item. We print it. We
go forth the next morning. A man meets
us, and says: "What made you publish
that id lie:' We are shocked, and
say nothing. The man, observing our
| hesitation, and not knowing that we are
as brave man as ever sharpened a lead
pencil, goes on TO remark that if We
were larger he would kick US. This
shocks us more than the question; and
[ by the time We have recovered sufficient
ly to defy him, lie has left us. Another
man meets US, and says disagreeabl,
things to us on the same subject, ant
wounds us by remarking that he believes
we meant him when we spoke of conf
dence men; and that. il we will assur,
him that we did, he Will at once proceed
to break our neck. When we assure hin