The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-06-20
city FIpnnces-Tno Responsibility.

There is right way and there is a wrong
way to do things. The city Of Wheeling
haH been transacting very important bust.
nees in very bad way. What would be
thought Of a business man who should 90
ahead spending faster than the money
came in, and with no assurance that he
could contract new debts to pay the old
ones? He would be thought dishonest or
inssne. III
This is just what the city Of Wheeling
has been doing. Council, which is sup.
posed to hold the purse.strings, has really
stretched the mouth OF the wallet 80 wide
that anybody with plausible pre!ext
could dip in and help himself. 1t does no.
follow that the money has been dishonest.
ly used, as dishonesty goes among men.
It is enough that it has been insanely
used.
A Councilman who wants something
done in bis ward, whether work Of neces.
sity or work 10 make him "eolid" with his
constituents, log.rolls with another Coun.
Gilman without bothering himself to
know the merits OF tho partiular job in
which Councilman No. 2 is interested.
This log.rolling facilitates the rapid deple-
ton Of the City Treasury. Still there is
not enough, and we have Sl45 900 Of over.
draits-money advanced by the banks to
the current creditors Of the city. These
over.drafts represent indebtedness which
aprudent and business.like economy would
not have contracted.
II we are to 90 on in this way what is the
use Of fixing e tax.rate, by which is meant
such percentage on the valuation as will
raise money to meet the estimated ex-
penses with reasonable margin for con-
tingent expenses? What is the use OF any
estimates oil the years outlay? We might
as we'll "go it blind" and trust 10 luck"
as in fleet We are doing now.
Furthermore, il we are TO continue this
"happy 10 lucky" policy until We reach the
constitutional limit Of indebtedness, what
are we going to do ef!er that ? Sooner or
later the TINA. will come when the city Of
Wheeling will have to conduct its business
on buslness basis. We may rs well be-
gin now. One way 10 begin is to fund the
floating debt and then take fresh START.
The other way is not 10 fund, not to put
out any more bonds, retrench expenditures
80 as to pay eft the over.drafts out Of cur
rent receipts, and then take fresh start.
1t will be very difficult, il not impos.
sible, to bring three-dlths Of the voters to
approve the iesue Of more bonds. Tx
payers look with grave apprehension on
this reckless piling up Of tho city debt.
They 80 looked upon it three years ago
when they reluctantly, and only after a
second appeal, agreed to the issue OF $751;
500. They feared that this would en-.
courage tho spendthriits to more reckless
expenditures, and the result fully confirms
their fears.
1t will do the city less harm to 60 on
short commons for while than to 60 on
squaudering It's revenues and discountipg
the future. Something Of this kind is
needed to beat it into the heads Of voters
that men who would not be allowed much
leniency ina business houee are ior the
same reasons unfit to sit in Council and
upset the city's affairs. i@ :;
There are good men in Council-men OF
honesty and intelligence-but there are
not enough OF them. We begin to see now
that it Is very expensive to I'll Council
with cheap material. 'ss3