The daily gazette., 1878-09-07
SECOND EDITION
For the Gazette.
A LOOK AT OUR CITY COUNCIL.


The new Council met Thursday even
ing. 1t was the regular meeting night
and all the members were present but
one. was favorably impressed with the
| look OF the members both the old and the
new. They seem to be men # ability,
and see no reason why oar city affairs
| cannot be done in business, as well as
an honest and economical, way. 1t is GER
! tainly time this way of running our city
was brought about, for as the city grows
larger the taxes according to a business
way of doing things, ought to grow
smaller. But the taxes havesbeen going up
all the time for the last twenty years.
The change that was brought about at
the last election certainly means some
thing and that something is lower level
or rate of taxes. Now, gentlemen of the
Council, how is this to be brought about
is what the people think, and in this
economical way they expect you to act.
From the conversation have had with
men of both parties this idea appears to
prevail-that it makes but little differ
ence which party is in power. That is
not the point. But il is that our taxes
must be lowered and the city run in an
honest way. i say again, how is this to
be brought about? First, the expenses
OF the city must be curtalled and that can
be done if our rulers will make the
effort. The are some things under way
that ought to be stopped, and others that
are contemplated never to be commenc-
ed until we have money to do it. Inow
refer to sewers. And again there are
other places where money might be saw
ed. The salaries of our city Off cials from
the lowest to the highest should be re-
duced. There may be some exceptions
but they are all yet at war prices, while
the wages of the mechanic and laboring
man have been reduced one-half and
some even below that We know it is
very unpleasant to reduce the wages of
those whom we have employed, but busi-
ness men have TO do it and why can't our
rulers do the same. Many of them have
done 1t to those they have working for
them.
There is still another place in our city
affairs where there is more extravaganza
and waste of money than anywhere else !;
and while l am on this thought of econ
omy ! might as well call the attention of
the Taxpayers to it: That is the enor-
nous salaries the School Board paws to
the officers and teachers that they have
employed in the education of our chill
dren. Those gentlemen that have charge
OF our schools certai My have wrong ideas
about salaries at the present time, when
everything has come down one-half
They will eventually break down our
schools by extravaganza. 1t is true they
get nothing for their services, but we
had better employ men who would run
the schools at a lower rate of expenses.
Extravaganza has never failed to des-
troy everything. 1t has laid its hands on
and must destroy our public schools, and
that we do not want
1t is true that the Council has nothing
to do with that department of our city
affairs, except to furnish them with the
money. In the two departments of our
city-say school and city proper-there
might be saved in salaries ten thousand
dollars, which would in ten years pay off
the floating debt that we will have on us
before the first of January. The Coun-
Gil ought to find out as soon as they can
how much floating debt we have and let
the people know our financial condition.
l think our new Council will do this
thing and stop up all the leak holes
where our money is running out. This
is what the voters meant on the election
day. Everybody appears to be pleased
with the way the new Council has start
ed in electing their officers and making
their committees. And all the people
want is that their taxes be reduced and
that our current expenses shall not eX-
ceed our appropriations.
One word to our new Mayor: Appoint
good and efficient men to office, give
them strict rules to be guided by and
see that they are carried out Enforce
the laws of the State and all the ordi-
nances of the city, and that Is all we can
justly expect of your honor. CITIZEN.