, 1881-03-27
HARRISON FILeHING CREDIT BELONG
ING 70 HEATH.

claim which Mr. Harrison will present as a
commentator Of; his Administration Is that
the financial condition Of the city is now
good. This Is true, but Mr. uarrison's credit
in the matter is limited to the simple fnct
that he has adhered closely to tile policy
established by Mayor Heath and practiced
by him for the three years Immediately pre-
ceding Harrison's election.
! When Mayor Heath .Was elected In 1876 the
City Government was "practically bankrupt.
It had neither money nor credit, and was
buried under nearly four millions of protest.
ed, overdue, and, In fact, illegally issued,
scrip. 1t could not borrow money to pay the
half years interest on the city debt. In May,
1915, the city had by the most vigorous up-
rising routed, the whole Colyin Democratic
| regime. which Ind openly deflcd public sem
| tinlent, and was insolent III its supremacy.
An almost entirely new City Council was
| elected. As soon rs the Republican Coun-
ell could get rid Of the hold-over Dem
ocratic Mayor 1t proceeded to the work
Of reform under the lead Of Mayor
Heath. It dismissed one-third of the
army Of city officers; 1t reduced the salaries
Of others; it repealed OF suspended wild and
extrayagant appropriations made by the pre-
ccding corrupt Democratic Council In the
fragment OF the first municipal year the city
expenditures were reduced nearly two mill
ions, more than Il million of the floating debt
WAS paid off, aud the annual tax was re-
duced one million. The saving Of that year
was repeated On M enlarged scale during the
second and third years Of Mayor neath's
Administration. In the meantime the Re-
publican Legislature. at the request OF the
Republican City Government, had enacted
the law reimpostng all the taxes of 1873, 1874,
and 1875 which mad not been collected
through Democratic obstinacy In refusing
to comply with the State law. In 1877, 1915,
1879, and 1850 these back taxes have been
coming into the Treasury. So far as they
were collected during Mayor ueath's term,
they were applied by him in discharging the
floating debt. .'.At the same time, added to
the new policy of reserytng portion Of each
appropriation, there was laid the foundation
for that surplus of cash IN the City Treasury
which has enabled the city to- gradually sus-
pend the issue Of scrip and carry on tho City
Government With cash and without borrow
ing dollar. :
When Alr. Heath went out Of Office COM
paratiyely small portion Of the back taxes
had been collected, but still. with what had
been and with what he had saved during his
three years service, he had paid off nearly
all the millions Of scrip outstanding when he
entered office, and left IN tho Treasury to his
successor nearly S6oo, 900 cash to constitute
fund with which to begin cash payments.
Mr.. Harrison found this policy in success
full operation when he entered the Mayors
office two years ago. He found tho policy of
saving, economy, and restriction in expendi~
ture actually in successful progress. lie
found S6oo, ,000 cash with which to begin
official housekeeping, and with the old taxes
calling for nearly two millions Of dollars
levied and awaiting collection. Without
proving personally dishonest, he could not |
depart from this established, successful, and !
system instituted and carried on |
by, his Republican predecessor, and to-day |
The highest credit he can claim is, that he has
adhered to and carried out the financial sys- |
.em founded by that Republican predecessor |
md Republican City Government.
The very existence, OF the possibility of |
he existence, Of the present cash surplus in |
he Treasury with which to carry on the |
City Government without scrip is due to the |
Republican Councils. elected in 1870-'77-'7s,
md their policy, continued since then to
his time, and to the energy Of the Republic
III Mayor who governed from 1876 to 1870.
Whatever economy Harrison has practiced
las been mainly due to the efforts of the
Republican Aldermen in the Council, and
o the 2 per cent Limitation act passed by Il
Republican Legislature two years ago. The
redit Harrison Is taking to himself for
economy must therefore be divided among
theirs, aud those others are Republicans.