Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-01-03
THE WATER TAX.

The Tntelligenccr was probably a
little remisS, last week, in not saying
something, editorial!y, in defense OF the
council in the matter of levyinS the
water tax, as there were several attacks
upon it in these columns. Our apology
for seeming unfairness is the hurry OF
work caused by absence from our desk
! on Christmas, which fell upon a day In
the week that we cannot well spare
from work. We often very freely
criticise the council's acts, but we de-
sire at the same time to be fair TOWARD
it, and to give it credit for good inten-
| tions when they are manifest.
1t must be promised that the gentle
men who spoke against the levy and
| collection of the tax before the council,
aud the gentleman who questions the
right to make the levy over the nom de
plume of observer" all opposed the
waterworks project. We will grant
their sincerity when they now say that
they desire to see the enterprise sue
coed; still it is only fair to remember
their position at the outset. They are
taxpayers, large ones, and good citi'
zens, and they had a right to be heard
Granting that the criticism made by
Mr.. WaddeIl is just, and that for three,
fourths OF a year only three-fourths OF
| the limit of taxation should have been
laid $50 cents instead Of 35), let us ex-
| anime for a moment whether or not the
| council should have made the levy; and
in reply to Mr.. Waddelrs position il
may be urged that it was necessary the
first year to levy a full amount in order
to provide against d~elinquencies.
The councilmen are Legislators, rep
resentatives representatives of the
people, TO carry out their wishes and to
further their interests SO far as they
may do SO in conformity to law, and
with due regard to the rights of others
The people of the city by a popular
vote of Sll to 40 adopted the present
ordinance, which covenants with the
water company for the building Of
waterworks, and pledges the city to pay
a rental of $1,000 per year for the use
of certain fire hydrants, etc. Whether
the action was wise Or unwise it wa;
the peoples action, and the council
was by it concluded.
The company proposed, and nc
doubt labored to complete the work by
October l. The question of the char
acter of the water supply is not here
considered, as that has not been
passed upon, and is a separate
question to be weighed by itself, upon
its own merits, when it arises.
1t became incumbent, therefore, up
on the council, in order to obey the
command Of the people, to be pre-
pared to pay the water company $1,000
OH January /, 1885. and a similar sum
upon the 1st days of April, July and
October ensuing.
The levy has to be made in Septem.
Der. The taxes are not usually collect.
ed until the end of December, the last
Is or 80 per cent. of them do not come
i'll until January.
Hence, on January lst the city, un.
der the levy as made by the council, il
the works had been completed as there
was reasonable cause for believing
would have been prepared to pay the
1st of January rental, and would have
had Oh hand before April l, the April
ana July rental, and no more, and the
October l, 1885, rental would have had
to be collected after 1t was due.
The causes which prevented the
completion of the works by the pro
posed time could not be ~foreseen. The
detention is certainly not Intentional,
as the water company loses S353,33 l3
per month by it, as rental, or at any
rate the interest upon $780, 900 oil
$4,000 planted In our streets.
The view is advanced that the council,
should have waited until the complctio,
ofthe works.before making a levy at all
If this had been done and the works haC
been completed in October, after the
time when a levy could have bee,
made, warrants would have been ISSUED
Oh a loan affected TO pay three quarters
rental, and, for no ono can tell how
long,our people would have had thi
delinquency riding them like a night
mare YEAR by year.
We think ths council did right il
making the levy; that it acted wisely
and periodically. 1t is exceedingI,
IN fortunate, though, that it was yen,
dered necessary by the circumstance
to make the levy, and hat the re.
s%ultant taxes are to lie idle in the treas
ury for several months. We are no
If those who believe it to be wise poll
cy to take the peoples money out 0
their pockets by taxation in order t,
hoard it in public treasures @
surpluses. But as it seems too late t,
remedy the evil that an unfortunate
combination of circumstances ha
brought upon lis, without risking lit
CATION, de.inqTences and other evil
that may be as bad Or worse, let us al
cheerfully pay Il taxes, and rest coz
fident that the mayor and council will
obey the law and keep their pledges
that the water tax shall be used for NJ
other purpose, and that only so mucl
will be levied for that use next year as
added to the surplus, VIII be enough 4
pay the agreed rental.
In Spain earthquake shocks were ex
perienced, Tuesday, at Velez Malaga
Il city of $1,000 people, a few mile
from Malaga. The shocks were o
much violence. Many houses were
ntterly destroyed. The people wer
terror stricken and abandoned the cit,
| / ,patha. rTl,o, ,..,,,ol o,..l