Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-01-10
Ctax la0yernmAnf.

What Is to be done to meet the imam |
cial shortage Of the city? This Is al
question which interests every tax
payer. -Four years ago the Democrats
had the whole city government re-
modelled. The time for the beginning
and ending of the fiscal year was
changed. The time for holding the
election for city officers also
was changed, the terms being lengthen-
ed nine months to suit the change. We
never hear of Democrats shortening the
terms of Democratic Office holders
There was a shortage in accounts then,
the Democratic Council with the same
chairman of the finance committee they
now have, having not only used up all
the legitimate appropriations, but 81, :
600 OF the school fund besides. The
Legislature was importuned and came
10 the assistance of the City Council.
Authority was given to borrow money
to meet all shortages, and Council
started of on its new career without
floating debt, but with vastlyincreased
permanent debt, upon which the city Is
now taxed heavily to pay the interest
At the end Of two years there was the
same floating debt created, and left As
legacy 20 Republican Council In 1881.
In the meantime the Republicans had
captured the city and elected Mayor.
Then the Legislature was importuned
az Ain to interfere. Here was Repub-
lican Mayor, how could he be made a
nonentity ? Easy enough. Create a
Municipal Court. Let the Governor
appoint Democratic Judge for the
Court, anu the Democratic Judge will
of course appoint Democratic clerk
and the thing will be done. 1t wa
done and behold Municipal Court II
operation, the principal business o
which / $ TO bulldoze Republican, public
officers until they are afraid to arrest :
violator of the law, caught in the act
without first getting warrant for tn
arrest.
There also was Republican Chic
Engineer of the Water Works, regular
! ly elected and put into office as tn
Democrats had elected the same office
time after time for many years before
There was nothing wrong with hin
only that he was Republican an
: had succeeded Democrat. How wa
. this Republican Chief Engineer to b
. got out of the way and the old defeate
y Democratic Chief Engineer put back i
: his place ? Easy enough. Get tn
Legislature to Apo mt aWater Commits
Il sion, com posed of two Democrats an
one Repu blican and call it non-part
. san Commission. Then let this mol
partisan Commission appoint the oil
Chlet Engineer ba k TO his old post.
. This was all done, but II costs moi
IL money 10 carry on such all arrange
ment
=, The Munich pal Cour; has to be paiC
u the Water Com mission has 10 he paiC
- and $50, 900 year has 10 be paid f
= the use of the firt-plugs that the cit
:. put in al its own expense, 10 protect th
~ city from fires. The taxpayers have
70 pay for all this Is 1t any wonder thu
10 there will be a def ,iency Of from SO ,OC
to 500, 900 at the close OF The preset
90 fiscal year This enormous fioatir
y debt has been piled up bocause Deia
III cratic Legislature at the behest of
Vi few hungry Democrats overturned u
VI local decision Of the people and creat'
- extra offices for six Democrats.
' The question is shall the city increa
,! its permanent debt by borrowing mon
~ TO pay of this floating debt created
~ partisan purposes | we keep on pa
ies ing of these floating debts every "
CT years by increasing the permanent de
our city will III a few years be ban
az rupted Had the people not better C
Il a halt? Instead OF longer permitti
=, The city 20 he governed from Dover, b
no The people not better take band in
Is l. it better to add this 500, 900 sho
we -. do,.n 80, ,,,,lic iro,ror.r,sr,s
,es, al IN. ct,v "a run m,re for the h.net;r
''7- CT ,iz-us than for local politician
VI, This is the question under conside
u'u tion. How shall it be met?