Daily Republican., 1883-06-20
wEDN EsDAY. JUNE 20. Isss.
Pay As We Go.


AJAX rat. shows the weak points i'll our
system of carrying on the City Govern
ment. Taxation is a question that af
arcts every city. improvements must
aS made and current expenses of the
City Goyermtnt must be met, and this
must be done by an equitable system of
aaxation, That this judicious and euuit-
able system has not been practiced in
Wilmington is evident. A shortage
ssich year has generally been the case :,
and this shortage has been the result
atst SO much of extravaganza rs an in
disposition to levy and collect sutti.
Gisa. atn rult IF taxes to carry on the
City Gtvrrlnant and make improve
snents thit are needed. Politics has
hat much 10 do with the hampered
finances of The city. The Democrats
come into power, and fearful of making
political capital against themselves
keep drwn the tax rate and come out at
she end Of tn year with IA large floating
debt. The Sane course we regret to say
HAS been p'a%'iced by Republican adj
ministration~
The nuv"Iu mt by the present City
Council 10 raise the tax rate sufficient
40 provide enough money to pay as we
90 is no don'' ihe correct policy to pur-
.sue. If tlsrt' really cannot ges along
without ajax rate Of less than Sl6j on
the Slo), there should be no opposition
40 tha' rate. Better by far have that
fhan TO have Il doa'tng debt at the end
Ot the yeas AIT then have it funded into
perm1nan debt by the Legislature
7rpon which we will afterwards have TO
pay interest aud for which we would
have to provide sinking funds to wine
Sut.
T,s theory IT contracting debts for
future generations to pay is the most
vicious h'tE can possibly be adopted
The orlinary citizen who has tried the
plan D! paying rs he goes will find it
sire best OF Il methods, and what
works 80 wei III the case of private
citizens is c-r..ln to work equally as
well when applied to "A IN unicipal cor
porarlon. Borrowing is always an easy
Nay ont Of pct,rnt difficulties, but the
day OF rec>"i!"g comes at last, and
antan"hiie mu",I harm may have been
done. Cities A,rr often lost desirabl..
iniu't ie, .l>C through the high tax
rate. IMPOSED Dy heavy and ever in.
creAiug debts
TheTr may b, times of unusual de
preston when the tax rate may already
b. high tnDWsh ,Ad when IN additional
ammrdini" hur,iru is not 10 be thou ,ht
at There nay also be special occasions
when very large expenditures are un-
sx ectedly ,alled for and when il
would be imuossible to raise an imme-
sSiate levy AK xpayerS, In such cases
Df course l0ans will have to be resortei
20. They come often enough without
any resort To the same way Of meeting
The regular current expenses when the
Driinary resources prove inadeVuate
Cities, like many ndiviuais, frequently
Progress 10" rapidly. The expenses are
almost certain to increase faster than
abe revenue tina IS relied on 70 nav
Il N. Here lies the great mistake and
iaSt here is whcrr the ounce Of urevrn-
Won should be applied. The way to
lu-et this dltfiCl.ty is to make fewer
improvements ana endearOr to keep
down the tendency to eXtravagance
Cities, like individuals, ought to know
that they must Irtrn to do without
many things they want. The individ-
nal VIII" starts oU to buy everything
lie thinks he neri, or thai he would
like 10 have, without any reference 70
the amount % ash pn hand, wi, wake
slp SOlnc fine day 70 tiud that be i, in
deep water, aud Iil- case is precisely
the same with mNulcipal bodies, The
sooner thiI fact i, realized, the better
will be for ali roucernei TIL best
Nnliry is to pay Il, we 60.