Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-25
Crooked Common Council Proceedings


fact that the Common Council had ap-
propriated from the City treasury SO
each to the Sd, 9Th, 9th and 7th wards
'tor ward purposes" The city char
ter expressly declares that expenditures
OF this character ''shall be chargeable
to and payable out of the fund of the
proper ward" There is no valid rea-
son why any such appropriation should
have been made, and the only preced-
ent for it was established by the Union
League Board two years ago when there
was donated In like manner $50 to the
Cd ward; So TO the Sd ward; $50 to
the 18th ward; $50 to the 9Th ward !;
$75 to the 9th ward and SIS to the
7th ward
1t is such a clear and palpable In
fraction of the law the Board should
be rest rained by injunction from carry
ing it into effect, but we doubt whether
any action will be taken Ia the princi-
pie that what is everybody's business
is nobody's,' and hence the outrage
will be consummated and made the
stepping stone TO others In the future.
The mover of the resolution was Boss
Finn, and although it must have been
apparent to the members of the Coun-
Gill; at least from those wards which
were not made benefciaries, that the
same was illegal and unjust, ye5 no
man dared oppose the wishes of the
Boss and his resolution passed unani.
mously. All the members being Dem
ocrats and in the first enjoyment of the
fruits of the great Democratic VIC
tory" achieved under the generalship
of Boss Finn, his will in the matter
was supreme. 1t will be observed that
the Sd, 9th, 9th and 7th wards are
those which played the part Of bcggars
in the present instance, though it is
not clear why Boss Finn should have
taken such deep interest in them to
the exclusion of the other wards. It
has been suggested that it was simply
IN recognition of the fealty and devo-
ton with which these wards have al.
ways stood by the Union League, but
this is mere conjecture. No explana.
ton has been vouchsafed why the 9th
ward should have been given SIS, and
the surprise is still greater that this
was done IN Wow of the fact that there
was NO levy of any tax whatever in
that ward 1t is the height of impu-
dence for ward to prey upon the city
treasury in that way, and the wonder
is that Common Council could have
been found to accede to any such re-
quest. The assessed valuation Of the
9th ward last year was 500, 900, and it
is but fair that the usual levy for ward
purposes should have been made there
as in the other wards. There is an
especial additional reason why the 9th
ward should not seek to avoid its Just
share of taxation at this time. and that
is the rebuilding Of the Habhegger
bridge, located within its limits, which
will cost the city handsome sum.
The 9th ward, with valuation of
$50: 900 raises tax of i mills for
ward purposes, which must be set
down to its credit, although this is
mere than offset by its playing the
role of mendicant, and receiving, be-
sides the SIS already named, an ad-
ditional donation of $500 fer building
abutments to Silver Greek bridge.
This is only an entering wedge and
the city will undoubtedly be called
upon for still further appropriations in
the same direction.
The 1st ward, with its assessed val
nation of SAT- 900; the I'd ward, with
its 1888 900, and the 4th ward with its
$4,000, pay three.fourths of the en-
tire tax of the city. They meet their
ward expenses, not only, but are levied
upon to defray the same class of outlay
in the other wards which are equally
able to pay. Of the $500 flched from
the general fund by the Sd, 9Th, 9th
and 9TH wards, as shown above, 5000
are wrung from the pockets of the
taxpayers OF the LIST, I'd and 4th wards;
or 500 from the LIST ward, SIS from
the I'd and S25 from the 4th ward
No enc will pretend that there is any
fairness In cuch nrooood;na, T. ::