American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-06-21

The Retrenchment and Reform i'd
niniStrdti0n at Wort.

CANTON, Miss, June 10, 1879.
To the Editor of tie Citizen
We have not forgotten that the
gentlemen composing the present
Board of Aldermen came into power
with loud professions or retrcnch-
ment and reform. How tI.eir pledges
and professions have been kept,"Iet
facts he submitted to candid
world"
When the new members took
their seats, the Mayor was entitled
to salary of $500 per annum and
the perqui>ites of office. Ar their
Meeting onsthe 4th inst, the reform
crs-recently SO touched with pity
for the poor, oppressed tax PAYERS
raised the $500 salary to $1,000, OF
800 per month. But these city
fathers, to meet the expected CONS
plants of the Taxpayers, repealed
what Is known as the Van Vacter
ordinance, and enacted another,
turning intj the city treasury GER
tain of the Mayors perqnisites.
These consist of costs arising in the
trial of offe' ces against't city or
dinances, and fees accruing from
the issue of licenses.
Now, let us see how far these
fees and costs, which are TO be turn
ed into the treasury, will go toward
reimbursing the city the 5000 addi
tiOnal salary.
Taking Mayor Powell's last year
as fair indication of what Mayor
Thomas first year will be, | cons
clude that the present incumbent
VIII try ITO cases. The costs in
these, under the Van Vacter Ordi- |
nance reducing Mayors costs to the
rates allowed by the State to Just
ices for like services, would amount
to Sl65; but putting them mt the
rates charged before the reduction,
they will amount to just S21j. TO
this sum add 800, the fees for is
suing licenses, and you have the
whole amount of money ont OF
" hich the city is TO be repaid the
additional 5000 salary. l do not
speak by the book as to this 500,
but L am told by gentlemen who
have ample means of knowing, that
our estimate is over rather than un-
Ter the mark.
Take this 1915 from 5000 and you
have the Interesting little sum of
1925 to be raised by taxation from
/. people already overburthened
And this, be it remembered, has
come TO pass i'm two months after
.he advent of the reformers. If we
ind such stuff in the green Iree,
What may We not expect i'll the
Try?
These reformers What a change
dreams! But the other day, they f.
we're almost sobbfng over the down
rodden taxpayers,-like the He
rev motlle", weeping owe: her
:hi!dIe Ell, and would not be COM |
Orted because they We're moi! To {
lay, having donned their official
'obes, and thrust their heads into
he public crib, they feel their oats,
Iave grown stalwart. and prancr
lr0und "wIth nOstIils up'urned
vide into the mnr%y air." The
dea of their President, the May
If Canton, being reduced to the
'etty perquisites of Il ali-potaio 5
Justice of the Peace, is not to be |
Olerated. As well think of the I
magnificent Grant being reduced /,
o the humble salary which suf q
iced for the patriot Washington t
Man, vain man, clothed with ii
title brief authority, least cons q
cious of his CLASSY cssercp, plays 4
uch fantastic tricks before high )
eaven as make the angels weep! !" !,
To be seriOus-thOuSh it is not Il
asy over such topics: 1t would have e
een more in accordance with good
ense and sound policy, To have t.
AIKEN away the Mayors salary, than :,
D have added to it. Justices of
be Peace receive no other compen-
alton than costs, aud Mayor is
/, officer of no higher dignity or
reater Importance. In fact. the
'iet consequence of his official r
osition is due to the act OF the
legislature which makes him an
{ O6tcio Justice of the Peace, and
JUS breatheS into his Dcstrils the
reath of life.
1t is due to two members of the
oarI, Messrs. Somers and Jones,
lat L should state they voted
,ainst the salary grail; and, from
y knowledge of the men. L am in
ined to think there are two others
no wcukf nos have favored the
easure. if they had known its rf-
ct would be to- impose additional
athens on the tax payers.
CANTON.