Daily Republican., 1881-08-17
rn.. Read 20 the Rivs,.

k1viS 6il ed $4,000 in taxes from
tho people 70 build the same. delays in
commencing the work. What can be
the reason for snch delay Can 1t be
that this was but ruse 10 force $l3, 900
out Of the pockets of the people t" h
applied to the current expenses OF the
uity, under pretence that 1t would he
used In constructing the road referred
to? If this is true then it is . clear
case Of false pretences, and the people
have been egregiously deceived. We are
fully aware Of the pressing necessity of
applying $4,000 raised to construct the
road to the river, to the current ex
penses of the city, but no matter how
pressing thai necessity is, the money
should be spent for the legitimate pur'
pose for which it was raised, unless
some dire calamity from fire or flood
should overtake the city. We may be
told that there is time enough yet to
commence the work. This has always
been the laggard's excuse. The work
could have heen commenced on the first
Of last month, when the city taxes
commenced to flow into the City Trea-
sury, then when winter comes on it
would have been in an advanced stage
of completion ana the finishing
touches could have been put on early
noxt sp,ing, and by the time the river
stosmboats commenced their summer
tips they could have stopped at a
wharf on ths Delaware In front of Will
nington for the first time in the history
of the city.
Over . month and half of precious
time has been frittered away, The sum
sner is passing away, the frosty nights
Of autumn will soon be upon Us and
the work has not been commenced,
though the money wi tn which the road
Is to be constructed, at the present is
lying idle in the Treasury. We are
apprehensiye that .his sum of $4,000
viii burn hole through the pockets OF
the City Treasury, and when it is looked
for to apply to the construction of the
contemplated road to the river, it will
be to use common expression ike the
Irishman's tles-it won't be found.
We do not mean that it will have
found its way iuto the pockets of our
city rulers, Tut that it will have b en-
gpent for the current expenses Of the
city and then next year another Sl3, 900
and probably much more will have to
be raised, for the same avowed object.
At this rate the city will have very
dear road TO the river or no read at all
The financial record Of the dominant
party in the City Council since it se-
cured control by questionable means is
not of such character az to recon-
mend it very strongly to the confidence
Of the people. In 1879 it borrowed
$l45,0OO for the completion Of Cool
Spring reservoir, to lay pipes, and to
fund floating de bt which we are frank
enough to say was inherited from tho
opposite party, but instead of applying
1t all to its legitimate purpose, $34, ,O0O
OF 1t was applied to current expenses
And this enabled the party newly in
slalled in power. to reduce the tax ratt
to u 10, and TO pose before the peopi,
~ the party of economy and low taxes
In 1880, some S22,OOO were discovered
in the Treasury Of the Board of Eluca
tion which the City Council deducted
from the usual school appropriations
and this enabled it to keep the tax rate
down to 10, and to go before the peo
pie again on the score of economy and
low taxes. In 1881, the present year
there were no pickiDgs lying around
loose, but party 80 artful in subter
fuges was equal to tie emergency.
A large floating debt had accumula
ted but this time it was met by changin.
the fiscal year, turning the dial oftim,
forward six months and borrowing $50,
OOO to bridge over the chasm made b,
the extension. A very nice arrange
ment at the same time extended th
terms of the Democratic officials tel
mont hs beyond the time for which the,
were elected. Notwithstanding this al
rangement the dominant party ha
found it necessary to raise the tax rat
to ii. 30 and circumstances show ever
that amount is not sufficient to NEE
she current expenses Of the city for tn
changed and new fiscal year Unde
these circumstances the tax payer
would do well to watch what become
of the $4,000 collected to build the roa
TO the river. There is a danger that
will go where the S54, 600 of 1879, tn
$22, 900 of 1880 and the $50 900 of 1856
went, and still the city will have mel IL
er money nor road to the river. tt
only way in which the City Council ca
allay these suspicious is by commen
ing work on the proposed road to Il
river and spending the $4,000 referr,
10 for the purpose for which it WI
levied and collected from the people.
A WEEK AGO we confidently assur,
the people that the smallpox was rapi
iy abating in the city and that the
vas no cause for much unnecessa
alarm. The report from the meeting
the Board Of Health bed last evening 9