Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-03-18

would vote for it. There is not now
and never has been any opposition
on the part of the Council to light
ing up the streets, as naked propo-
sition. The opposition has been
solely from belief of financial ina
bility to do it.
Mr.. Parks said, in answer. that
he believed arrangements could be
made to light the town at cost
that would enable the corporation
to bear it without endangering our
credit. But he was not prepared to
| submit a statement, and did not
now ask for any appropriation. He
only desired the appointment of a
Committee to enquire and report on
the subject.
Messrs. Grozinger, Degrange and
others said they were willing to vote
for lighting up, if the Corporation
was in condition to pay for it, but
were not willing to run the Corpora
tion in debt for this purpose as was
done before. This Council had paid
off $500 of old gas bills which it re-
ceived as a legacy from former
Council, and they were in favor of
paying what the Corporation now
owed before incuring more debts.
DR.. McSherry made a lengthy
speech, in which he took the ground
that the Council had no moral or
legal right to appropriate money for
any purpose, not an absolute neces-
sity, until they paid off all their OBJ
legations. Pay your debts and stop
the interest on them, if you have any
money to spare outside Of what isre-
quired to meet actual expenses.
When this Council came in it found
a floating debt of near 100000; by
economizing on the streets, in other
departments and in light, we have
been able, in less than four years, to
pay off nearly $4,000 of that indebt-
edness, and saved hundreds of dol
lars in interest. Let us pay off the
balance and start new before we be-
gin to make more debts. He said
he was as much interested in light
as any citizen of the town, and it
would benefit and be of as much con-
venience to him as any one. He
| would favor light when all our debt
was paid, and we could foot the bills
as we went along. He was in favor
of paying every man for his work.
He had heard some talk of getting
Council that would serve for moth
ing. He Was always willing TO give
his labor and money towards worthy
charity. Ii the corporation was an
object of charity, he might contrib
ute, not otherwise. He considered
his time and labor worth something.
Although the sum paid the members
of Council was merely nominal, and
did not Justify any OF them for the
work done, still it showed that they
were not 50 anxious for the place as
TO work for nothing. A man SO anX
IOuS TO get into d position, that he
pffers to work for nothing, is not
likely to be worth more than the eS-
tImate he himself puts upon his ser
vices. He was opposed To cheap
Chinese labor. 1t was the worst
Kind of economy. The man who
proposes to work for nothing at any
hing, is not considered OF much ac-
count. Such men would not give
proper attention to the business. He
nd not propose to give his services.
tie felt that he and the other mem
uers had saved .tn work for the
Corporation five tunes their salaries.
rhe Democratic and Republican pa
perS had formed a coalition and were
crying to run the whole thing. ne
mad as much interest in the corpora
ton as they had. He had been d
taxpayer here tor years, and was
willing to do as much for the pros
perlty of the town as any one, and
felt as much interest iii it. Why
don't these editors agree to do all the
advertising for the corporation for
nothing? Don't saddle the whole
burden on the ten members of Coun-
cll Let it be made general, aud
everyb Idy lend a hand. Let the
Gal merchant furnish coal, cement,
NC, for nothing; let the stone break
er furnish stone for nothing, and the
laborers on the streets give their ser
vices free, and perhaps some of those
persons who are so anxious TO have
other people work for nothing, will
agree to light the town on the same
liberal principle. If the plan was
made little more general and tx
pansive he would join in. He was
in favor of running the corpo a,lon
on the most economical plan. He
wanted to see the present high rate
of taxes reduced. That's what keeps
people from coming here. Keep up
your streets and other necessary
work ; pay off your floating debt and
stop the interest, and then let us
talk about lighting up, aud while we
are doing that let us also talk about
reducing the present high rate of
taxation. eEF
After remarks by several other
members, the question was put on
the motion of Mr.. Parks, and was
! lost.
On motion adjourned.