The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-03
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.

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The Austin Statesman takes us to
task in mild, pleasant way for the
advocacy of a municipal debt much
greater than we have. Many needed
improvements are now seriously re-
quired to place Dallas where it ought
TO be, and to reach these improve
ments a debt seems necessary. Our
streets are not what they ought to be,
nor are our waterworks up to the re
quired standard. But Dallas pro-
tesses to be city. 1t cannot afford TO
allow village processes to control its
policies, and If the greatest perfection
is to be reached, it can be done only
through the utmost progression and
the most metropolitan manner.
But this costs money, involves an
outlay. If the city has not now the
money, it must necessarily incur an
indebtedness. If the result is g beau
tiful city, with magnificent streets and
sidewalks, splendid system of water
and gas works, the people who sue
coed US will as fully and thoroughly
enjoy these comforts and improve
ments as we do. Dallas, in word, is
not for day or generation, but for all
time.
We do not desire the accumulation
of a debt based on fraud. as tho
Statesman says: "To municipal cor
porations, as TO individuals, debt is q
curse, and TO the tax payer the bond
business sn incubus that saps the life
Of enterprise. III the bonded debt of
cities was always an honest ono, IL
would be something. But in the ma
iorlty Of cases, like Houston, the main
Objects fraud, and usually the whole
job, from the first inception in the col
umrs OF a newspaper, to the passage OF
an ordinance through the city council,
is engineered by some hazy contrac.
tor in the back ground who material
izes at the proper moment, THE
HERALD can make note of this"
THE HERALD has more confidence in
its municipal officers than tho States.
man would seem to signify. A debt
based on fraud wo do not desire, but
so absolute is our confidence in those
who mako the debts of Dallas that wo
fear no evil doing. While we have at
times causticaliy criticised the want of
enterprise by our city fathers, we have
never attacked their personal or Of
f5ial honesty. In that wo have abso-
luto confidence and for this simple rea.
son would not regret TO SEQ even
greater debt than we have piled up by
them. The necessities of tho city
must be met, whatever the cost, and
whether the present inhabitants shall
pay all the expenses of improvement Is
only question for tho Taxpayers of
the day to settle.
Debt is not q blessing and as the
Statesman says, tho bond business "is
an incubus that saps the life of enter
PRISE" But the question resolves itself
to very narrow compass. II the city
to grow in wealth and population
and enterprise and improvement, aud |
in each succeeding year become far
moro capable Of psying its interest
on tho bonded debt and creating a
sinking fund to meet tho general obu-
gationsi real estate bounding forward
ard business Offering splendid and adj
ditional premiums, why shouldn'Jthe
future wrapped IN in these progress
Sea also meet some OF tho obligations?
In word THE HERALD desires to
know, If the present population giyos
TO posterlty mRgni6cently equipped
city, why shouldn't that posterity ply
some of the obligations incurred IN
tho improvement? a debt is not
desirable thing, perhaps, but shall one
generation look out for all succeeding
onrs?
In this connection THE HERALD
cannot but recall, and refer with pride
TO this same position some Elk years
ago, which 1t took in regard TO the inn
provement about aud for Dallas,
whether as to stroot-pavlng, water
works, stroet-lighting, railroads,
etc, when our efforts and urg-
ings were criticised and decrisd as
bsing "those Of an enthusiast, vision
airy, and over sangulne metropolitan
bred journalist" etc, and yet nearly
every ono OF which good things have
beon realized by us, though, perhaps,
not to the extout we desired, save the
water.