Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-12-19
"tN prt,. wA~ui,IroN tiu.
ollAfli lplbN niVN DlC ~. 1881.
Hnnicipnl tnairs

'iiN lni Mayor ..l .n. HIc.i-
man hum o,eh ol fu. tUto, warts.
II s,,mN 1tnfI,it., information
we csu obtain viirN 81. of y,iy IA.
definite oiafa.',l tDa, th. cii, ,s At
thl. tmo about til.UUliu d,hl. and
IL may De- move totNi'h. fan ling
Sc chatter r,o,l.l,, that tho IN
dobiedn'sa of Iho clil must never
e,ceoi in tho aggregate the sum Il
tea thousaui dollars. aud my del,
SO liability incurred ~ excess If snid
fum ~ ten Thousand dollars shal bo
Invalid end void
Oi course this oll,lnc.s lns ia
The main been incurred in the prose-.
ouiion u street improvements within
the lasl two yeats. aud roliceahly in
The ptadinR 81 Fourth street, the
hil a, swanioNn brdge, anh The
grading II Union stree. We have
hsaid flequoni compliant that the
worn upon the streets has not been
judiei"usly distributed aud that tho
two localities above mentioned,
Fourth aud mon slr,ots. have been
improved faf beyond The necessities
~ The ease. whilst other localities
whsfe slight improvements were
mole noeied Tor tho convenience If
The public have been neglected for
want II means 10 carry OH the work.
However this inny he. II probably
will nn, be questioned that tho im-
proscmenis above referred to are
II a ussiul character, aud that when
completed they will he Of a decided
benefit sU the town.
We are not disposed to DO too cap.
,ious in osiracssing the adminis,ra-
ton al the present board or that Of
lie immediate predecessors. m we
are we'll advised that tho business Of
administering The towns affairs IL at
best an Improbable and ihankless
iob. They have undoubtedly yielded
so the popular demand that some
thiag more should DO done in the
way Of public improvements than
had been done in preceding years.
and they have gone on and done IL
With an energy that lie highly com.
msndal,ls. perhaps with thought
iesspess in regard 10 expense that is
70 be regretted. However. the ex-
penses are now 10 be mot. and let us
consider what should DO done for the
next year. rather than waste time 10
discussing The wisdom OF this or that
improvement that has been under.
taken.
II seems quite clear 10 us that the
Tan payers desire that the city exc
psnses Of every description snail DO
brought within the amount Of its nc.
tusi revenues m soon ~ possible and
hspt there. They want 10 know
what those rssenuy are and just
what hiss been done with them, and
above ell the exact amount OF the
atty indebtedness. which In our judg-
,sent 10 not known 10 any mortal
now living. THIS statement IL made,
not with The intention Of rejecting
upon any one. or Of raising tho i'm.
pIiessien iha. one cent Of the city
funds has been dishonesty sppro-
psistsd. for We have no idea that
such 10 the case. Wa merely mean
10 say that ths records end accounts
u she city are aud have been kept in
such looss. disorsisriy aud unsys-
ssnsiie manner that II 10 impossible
for any one, not excepting their Gus
todisns. 10 find head or tail 10 them
within any reasonable time. What
the public interest demands 10 that
ihe records aud accounts Of tho city
Of Olympia shall be brought to such
On orderly system that they can
readily he understood by any one
who has occasion 10 refer TO them.
Oi the past we do not speak. But
there 10 no reason why tho city re-
cords and accounts should not be
kept from this on In such a manner
that the revenues Of tho town, the
expenditures Of tho town. the assess.
msnis by the town. the sales Of
property for delinquent taxes by the
town, The ordinances passed from
time by time by the board, etc., may
be m readily referred 10 at any timc,
~ We car now refer TO the records
of The hks matters pertaining 10
county affairs in the County Audi
tors Office.
To sccare these reforms. Il 10 only
necessary that the people should at
The coming election GIL the vacant
seats with men who are skilled and
systematic In the matter Of keeping
accouuts and recorda of public
transactions. II they can secure the
services Of such. There 10 no check
upon carslsssness Of expenditures
10 effsctual IA an exact account.
There ara no class Of persons who
can be NJ safely relied upon TO econ
omixs expenditures with which they
are entrusted and for which they are
responsible A. those who keep an
s.aof asaouns