Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-09
More About that Steal.

appropriation Oy the Common Council
to certain wards of $500 for ward pur-
poses, and supposed we made it SO
plain that the wayfaring man, though
fool, could not fail to rea Il and see
that our denunciaton Of it as 'steal"
was entirely proper. A correspondent
of the Democrat last week took excep-
ton to our remarks and objected to the
application of so harsh term It is
always better, however, to call spade
spade, aud hence we thought sit
advisable to speak Of this appropriation
as we would of any other ''steal," and
call it by its right name. That the
Democrats correspondent may have the
full benefit of his explanation we copy
so much of his letter as is Important:
Now, Mr.. Editor, if transferring money
| from one fund to another, as the late Coun-
| Gil did, is stealing, then | fail TO compre-
bend the ways and means of carrying on Il
| municipal government. 1t appears to me
| that any money transferred can be re. trans
| terred, and that is just wba the late Coun-
Gil intended to do, and nothing more. Fur
! thermOre | consider il direct insult to the
| members elected to the late Council of being
| charged with taking the peoples money,
| and all Democrats should resent the accusa-
| ton with scorn and Indignation AS for
the high taxation that our city is going to
| sustain the present year, the people can
Judge for themselves The engine house
| was built, the engines bought and the new
iron bridge ordered by the previous Board,
and it devolved upon the Common Council
to levy the tax to pay for the same. Now
who is to blame for the additional burdens
on the tax payers?
Now, there is very material differ
/ eDce between borrowing from fund
and making permanent transfer.
The resolution under which the money
| In this case was transferred does not
| provide for any re-trapsfer and none
was contemplated, nor will any ever be
made. If it was the intention to
make loan simply, the resolution
would have so stated, and there could
have been no understanding The
wards for whose benefit the appropria-
ton was made did not expect to refund
the money, and if it ever is repaid it
| will be because of our exposure of the
little game by which the city treasury
was to be bled for certain favored
| wards. That it was understood to be
donation outright is shown by the
fact that the Democrat so treated it
two weeks ago, and defended it on the
ground that it was an equivalent only
for the gas bills paid by these wards
which it is claimed were not CORES
pondingly benefited.
With reference to the high taxation
In store for our people, the correspond
ent is unfortunate il his statements.
His attempt to place the responsibility
upon the late Board will not succeed.
1t is true, as he says, that "the engine
house was built, the engines bought
and the new iron bridge ordered by the
previous Board" but the engine house
has been paid for. The engines were
bought upon three years time, and
one payment has been made, leaving
to the present Board to pay an INSTALL
ment Of one third their cost, or say less
than SIS 900. The amount to be paid
on account of bridges will not exceed
$4,000 and these are all the expendi-
lures the Board will have to provide
for except such as would ordinarily &C.
cur in any year. 1t will thus be seen
that some other plea than the extrav-
agance of the late Board will be re-
quired to explain this heavy tax sad
died upon US the present year. TIE
amount IS unnecessarily large and
comes at period of great depression
in business, when its payment will be
oppressive and keenly felt. That tax
| payers should feel an interest in know
ing what becomes of their money is
natural enough and the REPUBLICANS
proposes to see that they are kept
thoroughly informed upon the subject.
The $50, 000 tax levy the present
| year is souvenir of the Democratic
ULion League party which will not be
soon forgotten by the people.
| CALEB CUsHING's OPINION
Washington correspondent of the Chi
cago Tribune says that Caleb Cush-
ing's opinion as to the effects of the
war in this country is substantially, in
his own language, that the war must
| result In orear oood to our country