Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-22
MUNICIPAL EXTRAVAGANCE.

Mr.. Arthur Blake Ellis has in the current
issue of the Atlantic a timely and well con-
sidcred essay on municipal extravaganza
subject of great importance and one which
is becoming more so every year. Few peo-
pie fully appreciate the magnitude of the
debt imposed upon the people of this coun-
try by the extravaganza Of its civic anthori-
ties within comparatively few years past.
Leaving out of consideration New York with
its enormous debt of over n hundred and
twenty million dollars and Boston with a
debt half as great and other great centres
with vast but perhaps not disproportionac
Indebtedness, our own State does not make u
particularly gratifying exhibit in this respect.
In 1870 the aggregate debt of all the cities,
towns and school districts in this State was
So, 5S4 900, of which Sl,470, 900 was bonded
and 81, 114,O00 was floating. In 1880 the
aggregate was 81, 3Sl 900, of which S3,214,-
900 was bonded and 81, 1G7 900 was float
ing. In other words, during the ten
years the bonded debt was more than
doubled, while the floating debt re-
NAMED about stationary. Classified
by counties, the indebtedness of towns and
school districts in Grand Isle and Lamoillc
counties was largely decreased within the
decade, but all the other counties show a
very great ncrease-thc greatest being in
Windham county, where the aggregate in
debtcdness was four tipes greater in 1880
than in 1870. Chittenden county showed n
municipal and school district debt of S229,-
716 in 1870; but in 1880 it had increased to
$780,
What is true OF Vermont is true, generally
speaking of most parts of the country, In
1870, according to the census of that year,
country of the kind of which we are speak
ing was S512, 200, 000 in 1880 it had in
creased to $S22, 100000. 1t is very truth.
fully, then, that Mr.. Ellis remarks that ex-
cessive economy is not one of the dangerous
tendencies with which local governments in
this country have been threatened. The
difficulty is to avoid the other extreme; to
restrain that spirit of indifference which
does not concern itself with public expendi-
turc so long as the present generation is pro-
vided for, at the expense of the future.
Quoting figures from official reports to show
the growth in the expenditure-much Of 1t
unnecessary--o the public money, he thus
describes the old-fashioned manner of keep
ing down expenses and meeting them when
they were incurred:
| One who is familiar with the origin,
| growth and development of New England
town, and reflects on the prosperity
which sustained its progress for nearly two
centuries, may well be startled at the enorm.
GUS increase of the financial burden within
so recent period. The old rule would not
allow any obligation to be incurred unless it
could be provided for by immediate pay.
ment. The principle that children must not
be made liable for the debts of their fathers
was adhered to. If highway was to be
laid out or altered or town or school house
| erected, the rates were increased, and the
charges properly distributed. Each able.
bodied person was Obliged to share the ex.
pense Those who were too poor TO meet
the demand in the shape of money or mate
rails were required to work it out
We have changed all that with vengc
ance. Few things are easier. no wadays, thar
to saddle big debt upon municipality to be
paid tho Lord knows when, for actual or I'M
aglnary improvements or necessities. Her,
in Vermont, as elsewhere, much murcIpa
money has gone into railroad uilding-witl
the only result that the people find them.
selves with a lot of bankrupt railroads upor
their hands which are of no earthly value u
anybody except perhaps their managers. II
is high time that the spirit of municipal ex
travagance was checked, in order that taxa
ton may be reduced and something hk
National bankruptcy avoided. One mean
to this end is the adoption of Constitutions
amendment, similar to that which failed II
the last session through the folly of an imbe.
cie Legislature, forbidding the bonding o
towns in aid of railroads. Another is--ant
we are not sure that its adoption is very re
moie-a restriction of the voters on import
ant projects calling for a large outlay o
municipal funds to those who pay the bull
of the taxes This plan certainly has reaso
on its side, and 1t is, it seems to us, the onl
way by which municipal expenditures ca
with approximate certainty be kept With
reasonable and proper limits