The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-06-07

further, that but for Aldermen Fisher and
Linn the Office would not have been sug-
| gested or created. But for their cleo
pioneering to beat the ordinance as sup
posed pet measure OF the mayor it would
not have passed.
Alderman Linn-"While 1 am not dis
posed to back down from anything have
said or done, l do not admit that
| L sought to electioneer for
or against the mayor on any proposition.
l challenge this body or the mayor to
show when have spoken to any man to
support any proposition. have had my
objections TO the mayors suggestions, but
l have not been especially his advocate or
opponent, but acted simply on my con-
vlctions of duty. 1t is an injustice here
to say l have electioneered against the
mayors suggestions"
Mayor Nalle-"Will you deny that on
the evening the ordinance was presented
| you were not electioneering with Alderman
| Assman to vote against itf"
Mr.. Linn-"I did talk with Alderman
Assman as friend, and said we did not
want the Office"
Mayor Nalle-"When, whether correctly
or not, and because it was understood to
be pet measure of the mayor"
Mr.. Linn-"You mistake my convictions
of duty, certainly could ask Mr.. Assman
to oppose proposition which I thought
best for him to oppose on principle, with
out intending merely to oppose your
homer, but as duty to the people. If you
think l would oppose you merely in
malice, or to down you, you are mistaken
in the man. When think you are right,
| \ will hon hnt
oppose you as bitterly when l think you
are wrong, and duty demands it,"
Alderman Fisher-"I am sorry the
mayor has spoken as he has for two
reasons. l did electioneer with Messrs.
Assman and Brush, and am glad of it.
If, as you say, the Office OF city secretary
was created because was against it, am
glad of that But it is not fair after the
ordinance has been here for several SEES
sions and the noses were counted to blame
two men for it. l heard it stated and can
give my authority General King) that it
was said to him beforehand that the office
would be created, and Nose Harris was
greater than the council. We used no
unfair means, and it is hedging at the
wrong time to say that we did"
Mayor Nalle-"Why did you go to Mr..
| Assman?"
Mr.. Eisher-"I heard that Harris said
the office wolld be created and was OPP
| posed to such an arrangement"
Mayor Nalle-"It is bad policy to cleo
tioneer with any alderman. l would not
do it,"
Mr.. Fisher-"That may be the mayors
course but mine is different"
Mayor Nalle-"Every man here is free
to come and consult with me without re-
gard to anything said by outside parties
This Office had nothing to do with Mr..
Harris. Mr.. Bremond and Mr.. Graham
had said that if would hold on as mayor,
they would be willing to give me an as
sistant."
Mr.. Fisher-"I stated my authority and
why opposed the Office, but voted for
it for dual purpose"
Mayor Nalle-"Because somebody voted
against your proposition"
| MI. Fisher-"Because they voted against
my printing proposition; but say now
if the mayor wants that office of city
secretary 1 will vote for it,"
Mayor Nalle-"I would if the revenues
justified it,"
Mr.. Fisher -"You have not hit the big
items of retrenchment; that $4,000 water
contract for instance"
Mayor Nalle-"If you can show me how
1 will do it 1 would reduce the force if we
were in condition to carry out the work. "
Here followed some sharp sparring be-
tween Aldermen DeGress and Fisher,
amounting to fierce personalities, in
which both gentlemen expressed them
selves pretty caustically, aud intimated
that they were as responsible outside as
inside the council for what they said.
There was some sharp sparring also
between Aldermen Linn aud Phillips, the
latter charging Mr.. Linn with un aarlia-
mentary language.
Altogether the proceedings were as fiery
as could we'll be imagined without per
sonal collision, but too tedious to follow.
The ordnance abolishing the Office of
city secretary was finally passed.
| Also, the ordnance reducing the salary
of drivers and hostlers of the fire DEPART
ment.
The ordnance to abolish the Office of
assistant assessor and collector was
amended to allow deputy for six months
at $75 per month salary, but the council
refused to suspend the rules for further
action, and adjourned.
| In connection with the Office of assessor
and collector Mr.. Sterling explains that
he was formerly paid by commissions and
| paid an assistant out of his own COM
missions, because he was compelled to
have one to do the work, and that the
office was made a s9laried one as a mat
ter of economy and saving in commits
siops. While he will do the best he can,
it will requir' an assistant the whole year
to do the wo-k.