The Republican journal., 1883-03-22

its recommendations. in the MAN, will, we
think command general approval. The state
ments with regard TO our highways and bridges
are perhaps open TO criticism. and at another
time We may have something to say concerning
them. The important question of protection
against fire receives consideration, and the
Mayor suggests that the Muck Pond might
be utilized for fire purposes IT much less cX
pense than the purchase Of 4 steamer But be-
fore action i taken in either direction he thinks
public meeting of citizens should be called to
consider the matter. The Journal. meanwhile,
will welcome facts and suggestions bearing on
this question, for publication. The recommend
alton with regard TO the creation of Il Board Of
Fire Police seems to be good one. Reference
is made 10 the report Of the school Committee.
of which a synopsis has been published, and the
Manor says that nothing should be left undone
(which should be done. in order to maintain
our present educational facilitics.
\ paragraph is devoted TO refunding. and the
opinion expressed that " a commtc Of citizens
can DOR do much more in behalf Of refundng
than committee chosen from the City Coun-
ell. because they can work with more freedom
and be less constrained than if they We're mem
ber> of your body" We confess that we fail to
see the motive for this transfer of duties. unless
it be to Shift responsibilities. voluntarily as
sumcd, upon other shoulders. We were a>Sur-
ed that the city debt was to be refunded by the
officers elected on the -o-called Taxpayers
ticket one Year ago and now reelected. But
we find that Of the 264o00 refunded during the
past year the banks We're Instrumental in re-
funding the greater portion. 1t is, moreover
the opinion Of we'll informed persons that re-
funding is now practically At >tand>tjii, and
that it viii be impossible to make any material
progress in this direction noW or in the near
future This may perhaps explain the desire
to transfer to Il committee Of citizens duties our
city government took upon themselves. and for
which they should be held to the >tricter ac-
countabilty a. they We're instrumental in de-
feating measure by which. we have reason to
| believe, fully one-halfo of our bonded debt could
have been refunded by this time, ct1tcting an
! annual reduction of some $4,000 in the city cN-
penditure> The present situation as revealed
BY the report Of the rcfundmg committee. and
the Mayors SUGGESTION is certainly not cneeur-
aging
The Mayor compliments the Police Depart
ment. and makes some excellent suggestions
with regard To it. He takes strong ground on
! the temperance question. He says mo per-
son should be selected for any position in the
administration of the affairs Of our city who is
addicted to the excessive use OF Intoxicating
| liquors, or who i in the habit of visiting places
where intoxicating liquors are said to be sold,
except in the discharge Of his official duty. and
l recommend the passage of an ordinance pro-
hibiting the use of Intoxicating liquors as
beverage by any officer of our city To use
somewhat hackneyed expression this is "a
move in the right directions" and in enforcing
these rules there can be no question but that
the Mayor will be sustained by public senti
ment.
The attempted explanation of the deficit in
the city treasury is the weakest portion Of the
address. If we accept the statements as made
they convict the authorities of objectionable
| ignorance concerning the financial affairs of
the city. Not to occupy too much space with
| repettiOns we here refer to the address itself.
We are asked to believe that the uncoIlccted
| taxes for 1873, 1850 and 1881 We're regarded Us
available cash. without deductions for com
missions or abatements and the appropriations
made accordingly. Bat even this explanation
does not explain away the deficiency. nor is it
the true solution of thu difficulty. 1t i an after
thought, and not a happy one. The late city
government had precisely the same questions
to consider. as to assets and expenditures, as lis
predecessors, and lis estimates ana appropria-
tons We're made in the usual manner. But it
had promised to reduce taxation and it could
only do that by cutting down the approprit-
tons. This done, with the inevitable re-
suit of Il deficit. The Mayor says the appropri
atoms for the year must be increased and to
meet the present deficiency, and provide against
further deficiency, it will clearly be necessary
to increase taxes above what they Were when
| the reduction was made.
What the Mayor says of criticism upon the
acts of the city officials is commendable and his
propositions will hardly be disputed. SO far as
| the journal is concerned it believes it would
fail to do its duty if it did not call in question
the acts of the authorities when they appear to
be detrimental to the general welfare. 1t has
no other interest in our city affairs than that
which every good citizen should have. 1t has
no personal enmties. it only desires that the
affairs of the city should be so conducted as to
| best promote the interests of the city: and it
does not care who hold the city offices, provid-
ed they be properly qualified for their respect
i've positions. 1t believes its criticisms have
been founded on ''actual facts and devoid of
"false assertions" but it will always be ready
to correct any error into which it may unwit-
tingly fall.
The concluding recommendation BY the May
or that leach officer and each committee keep
a full record Of all business transacted in his
department and at the end Of the year Il detail
ed report of the same be printed. giving the
amount of appropriations, the disbursements,
and to whom paid, the taxes abated, and those
remaining unpaid should by all means be
adopted. This was done by Mayor Swan. 1t
ought to be done every year. The citizens
should know where and how every dollar and
cent of the money raised by taxation is eXpend-
ed.
There is reality about politics in some Maine
towns, says the Boston journal, that is not
often witnessed. The town of Turner is the
residence of Scion Chase. Monday, March 3
the citizens of the town met and baIloted nine
times for Moderator without making a choice.
Monday. 18th, the battle was renewed and eight
ballots taken before Hon. Rufus Prince (Re-
publican) was elected. 1t then took six ballots
to elect first Selectman and five to insure the
second. Scion Chase'S little band of straight
Greenbackers, numbering about %, held the
balance of power.
In the Greenback strongholds of Knox and
Waldo, the old parties seem to have been near
ly killed out. The Greenback tickets were
elected in Camden and Linconville Yesterday,
with little opposition. Portland Advertiser.
Just wait until next year, friend Advertiser.
and you'll see some very lively corpses down