The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-13
That Veto Again.

~~o WV II E GILL.
The Mayors veto of the order to expend
$500 from the contingent fund has found a
defender in somebody who writes COM
munication to the Argus over the signature
ga LOCKER On.' The defence is on two
grounds. a. ''The appropriation of $500
would have been spent to no purpose.
~ The majority in the lower board have,
from the beginning of the year, made sys-
tematic attack upon, and used every means
In their power to deplete, the contingent
fund. And the Mayor with his
usual foresight, has done right in crushing
out this persistent attack upon the treasury
by majority of the lower board"
AS to the first of these defences all that
needs to be said is that it is not the ground
upon which the veto was made. $500 from
the contingent fund would accomplish as
much in destroying caterpillars as $500 from
any other appropriation. The Mayor it is
well understood was favorable to the appro-
priation provided it did not come out of the
contingent fund. But it was proper draft
upon the contingent fund, quite as proper
as the appropriation of $500 recently made
with the Mayors approval for band concerts
in the Park, aud the object is much more
necessary one.
The second line of defence is peculiar and
shows that this ''Looker On" is more jealous
than intelligent. The majority of the lower
board have not from the beginning of the
year Systematically attacked and endeavored
to deplete the contingent fund. The deple-
ton of that appropriation as far as it he's gone
has been for objects especially sanctioned
by the Mayor and his friends in both boards
ga LOCKER On" would not find it conven-
lent TO name any appropriations which were
charged to that fund by the original action
OF the lower board except this one, If he
means by s.the majority these who are not
supporters Of the Mayor. He spoke of $3.50
which that board wished to appropriate at
the last meeting. But the orders appropria-
ting 500 for indexing records and $3.50 for
purchasing copies of York county records
came down in that form from the Mayors
board and were simply CONQUERED in by the
lower board. The same is true of the APP
preparation for music in the Park and of all
other attacks upon that fund which have
depleted it.
There may be one apparent exception, but
1t is only apparent. The appropriation of
$1,000 from the contingent fund for the
Chestnut street schoolhouse job was origin
ated in the lower branch; but NJ. Prince is
responsible for it, and since the beginning
of the year he has been q steady supporter
of the Mayors policy. ga LOCKER On'' for
getsro mention this appropriation.
Talk about the Mayors foresight in
crushing out attack upon the contingent
fund.- is good in view of this schoolhouse
matter. The Mayors motive is not misun-
derstood. Every body knows that his school,
house job-we say his job advisedly-em-
harnesses him, and that he wants the con-
tingent fund preserved to meet the yet I'M
known cost of this piece of extravaganza en-
tered upon in the most unbusinesslike way.
and in violation of ordinances designed to
prevent disregard by city officials of the es-
tablished rules of economy in public affairs.
4 hO AaSto oOCOt tAlc JOO al &c very CttdI. All
appropriation of 81, 700 had been made for
the repairs contemplated. Plans we're
drawn and proposals were advertised for.
The aggregate of the lowest acceptable bids
for the different kinds of work was 81 1920.
This was thought by the Mayor to be high,
and he declared his purpose to go ahead and
have the work done by the day. Members
of the committee objected because such a
course was illegal. A member of the ma
jority of the lower board, which is now ac-
cused of attacking the contingent fund and
depicting it, demanded meeting of the city
government. At that meeting Mr.. Prince
said he believed that the work could be done
for the amount appropriated, or very near
that sum, thus putting his judgment against
that of the architect, who, after carefully
going over the bids, reported that they were
as low as the work could be done for. The
Mayor and Mr.. Prince were deferred to how
ever by the majority and authorized to go on
and expend the appropriation in the work
that had then been begun without author
ity.
Already they have exhausted the appro-
priation and attacked the contigent fund
and depleted it, $500 on this account.
They confess that they will want perhaps
1880 more, which must come from this
fund. It appears therefore that the Mayors
foresight which refused to contraction this
job at cost of 81 1920 will necessitate pay
ing at least S., 700 for the same work, of
which $4,000 will come out Of the contingent
fund, and some good political friends and
supporters of the Mayor are profting by the
job who might not have got the contracts.
But the taxpayers understand the little
game. They are looking on with rather
more intelligence than the contributor to
the Argus.