Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-03-06
The Board Of Street Commissioners
AS Law Breaking Body.

Here is matter which we trust
will commend itself to the Watertown
Democrat as of sufficient importance
to call for passing notice at least.
Its editor has happy faculty of clos
ing his eyes and care to what he does
not wish to see and hear detrimental to
the interests of his party, and We pre-
sumo he will be as oblivious to the
facts here presented as he has been in
similar instances in the past. How
ever, we do not intend that he shall
plead ignorance in the case, whatever
else he may say or do concerning it.
To that end, We bring to his attention
the fact that his pet Democratic Board
of Street Commissioners, in defiance of
law, has grossly mismanaged the city
finances the past year, and run the
city largely in debt. Chapter 5, sec
4, Of the city charter provides:
The common couccil shall not, in the
appropriations made IN any one year, ex-
coed the revenues of that same year, nor
shall they issue any orders, certificates,
bonds or other evidences of debt not Gu
thorized by law, or in any other manner
create a floating debt against said city,
no
Now, instead of combining itself
strictly to this provision of law, and
living within its means, the Board has
not paid, and cannot pay, its current
obligations of the year, by many thous-
ands of dollars. The Democrat will
not dare deny this, for witnesses are
too numerous who will attest the truth
of our statements. They are carrying
in their pockets city orders which the
Treasurer has declined to pay, or to
accept in payment Of taxes; and in
stances of this kind are too plentiful
to make it expedient for the Democrat
to deny the fact. Some of these OF
ders bearing date as far back as July
last, and drawing ten per cent. inter-
est, are dishonored by the Treasurer
for want of funds. The whole trans
action, of issuing orders in excess of
the revenues of the year, and in
making them interest bearing, is a
palpable violation of the law. This is
an affair which concerns not alone the
creditors of the city who cannot obtain
their dues, but it is of interest to tax
payers also. The latter are beginning
to enquire where this lawlessness is to
end. AS to the former, they have
their remedy in law, and it will be
strange if some of them do not take
advantage Of it. For any Indebtedness
incurred in excess Of the amount au
thorized in the charter, the Aldermen
are personally liable, and can be made
to pay it out of their own pockets.
After prescribing the limitations by
which they shall be governed, the
charter declares that if the aldermen
shall so contract debts to a greater
amount than such tax, neither said
ward nor the city shall be liable for the
same, but the aldermen so contracting
shall be liable therefor, as if the debt
had been originally contracted by such
aldermen personally" So that hold
ers of dishonored city orders can avail
themselves of this law if they choose,
with advantage to themselves, perhaps,
while furnishing a salutary lesson to
these law breakers, which may also have
a healthy influence on their successors
in office. The only remedy that we
Gdh oee III taxpayer Is 10 eject pet
| ter class of men as aldermen who will
obey the laws, or else try what virtue
there is in an inj unction restraining
the further performance Of illegal acts.
A New Plan for Electing Presidents
The question of devising some new
method Of electing President and Vice
President is occupying the attention Of