The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-15
A-LDERAIANIC BOARD.
President ROrisOn's Creditable Inaugural
Unimportant Legislation.


President Rorison's CreditabIe Inaugural
Unimportant Legislation
The Board of Aldermen met. Present, Messrs.
Be~rnhamer, Cobb, Cox, Endly, King, Prier,
Pritchard, TaIentire, McHugh, and President
Rorisen.
The President then spoke as follows, the
speech being in the nature of an inaugural adj
dress:
Gentlemen-It shall be my constant aim to
merit you appreciation in the performance of the
duties Of president of the Board.
AS this is a business body, the subject of WAYS
and means is very naturally and very properly
uppermost in our minds. The best citizens help
to keep it so. Some say the city government is
too sordid for efficiency. Others complain of
wastefuineSs of the public funds. Criticism is
wholesome, and will, hope. help us to keep
strictly within the revenues and sec that every
dollar is judiciously expended and represents
a full dollars worth of Improvements. The
finances of the city are in good condition. Our
debt is small, and very few cities in the country
! have so lighta rate of taxation. 1t is notorious
that personal property does not pay its just pro
portion of the taxes. l trust the finance com
mittce will be able to devise a plan by which the
burden Of taxation will fall moro equitably as to
real and personal property.
The Legislature, several years ago, passed an
enabling act for the construction of sewers in
this city, and for raising by special tax the
needed funds. 1t is important thar a systematic
| plan be at once devised-a plan 50 liberal as to
meet not only the present but the rapidly in
creasing wants of the city.
We should have q committee on
legislation, to prepare and present
to the next Legislature such measures
as are desirable. Many business men of this
city receive large incomes, but pay no taxes. 1t
would unQuestionably be desirable to have a law
enabling the city to license the various classes of
business, and also to charge a license for vehicles
for the benefit of the street repair department.
We should be more than ordinarily cautious dur
ing the coming year in the matter of eXpendi-
lures. as We inherit from the last. Council and
| Board a large. number of Improvement or
dinanees. Emergencies will seldom arise to
Justify a suspension Of the rules. This Board
was created for the purpose of checking 1egisla-
ton. Ample time and free discussion viii
serve to develop the weakness of Upwise meas
tires, as wen as the wisdom Of good measures.
Let it be reserved for the Council to act hastily,
as it has frequently done ~(notably, in case of the
conduit ordnance relying on this Board TO
prune, engraft, and sometimes uproot. Let us
instruct the clerk that when we have taken ac-
ton on any matter and killed it, he is not to re
turn it to the Council for revival. Party politics
should have little to do with this Board. The
minority represent very nearly one-half of our
citizens, and they are entitled by every rule of
right to all the information that representa-
ton on every committee, every board
and every official body in the city government
can give them. We were sent here to labor for
our party only so far as wise legislation for the
whole city serves that end. Our special duty to
the party Those OF US who are Republicans
ceases with the selection of capable, upright,
Republican city officers. This Board was Gre
ated to subserVe the business interests of the
community. We should not allow it to be
diverted nor degraded to any other uses. If you
have any favorite project do not enter into any
combination to secure its success. Let the quail
iy of each measure, considered separately, de-
teTmine its success or failure. Try to keep con
stantly with you an honest purpose and a level
hna1 II N-A,Y nma Ttnrn - 1H,u-,1-4 A~1 - II
times vote your convictions, you will. two years
hence, have fewer of the friends you have to
night, but those you do retain will demonstrate
the survival of the tittest. Among them let us
number all good citizens who desire a pure. firm,
and economical conduct of the affairs of the city.
The president announced the standing commit
tees for the term ending Dec. 81, 1855:
Contracts and Bridge s-Tallentire, Endley
and Mcllush.
Finance and Accounts and -Claims-Endley,
Cox and King.
Hugh.
Hospital and Dispensary-Cox, Prier and
Bernhamer.
Judiciary and Ordinances-Pritehard Cobb
and Bernhamer.
Police Experimentation, Tallentire and Nc
Hugh.
Printing and Office Fixtures and Supplies
Endley, Pritchard and King.
Markets and Public Property-Cobb, fallen
I NAiN tNiA ~ iAhNAAtI
Public Light and Education-Prier, Pritchard
and King.
Railroads and Public Charities-Pritchard
Cobb and Bernhamer.
Rules-fhe president, president pro TEN. and
Bernhamer.
Water and Public Health-Prier, Cox and Nc
Hugh.
The action of the Council granting Gillett 6
Jennison an auction license was not concurred
in, the matter being referred to the judiciary
committee.
The Board refused to pass the resolution from
the Council introduced by Councilman Trusler)
to abolish certain city offices.
An item in the appropriation ordinance appro-
priating money to pay for the Middlebrook, Post
& Co. S, elevator at the City Hospital was re
ferred to the judiciary committee and city at
torney.
The city attorney, in a communication in re
ply to the question whether or not the Citizens
Street Railway Company can he made to pay for
street improvements, says: while the question
is not entirely free from doubt, l am OF the opin-
ion that the Council and Board of Aldermen, in
amending said section of original ordinance,
acted in a legislative capacity and that, there
fore, it may repeal the amendment and ordain
} the original action and thus require the Street