The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-03

crease IN the valuation OF property Tor
taxation, while the expenses have
steadily increased with the growth of
the city. This situation still con-
tinues, and as the necessary ex-
penses of the city government will inevita-
bly, increase during the next year. it becomes
a serious question how to meet 1t. This can
only be done by an increased assessment. an
increase in the rate of taxation, or devising
new sources of revenue. II will be for the
Council to consider how far the situation can
be met under present laws There is limit
beyond which the expenses of municipal gov
eminent in a growing city cannot wisely be
curtailed, and if city is to keep up with the
march of improvement it must have some
margin of revenue. The Mayor states that
the appropriations for street improvements
and repairs last year were only about one
third as much as they were twelve years ago,
and that the city's part of the proposed i'm
provement of Washington street alone will
nearly equal the total of last years expendi-
ture in that department. Necessary improve
ments may be deferred several years, but they
cannot be put off forever. AS one means of
revenue that can be reached under present
laws the Mayor recommends a special tax on
vehicles, the proceeds to be used in repairing
the streets. Such an ordinance ought to have
been passed before now, and the Council
should lose no time in carrying out the May
or's suggestion.
The Mayor takes decided ground in favor of
requiring the street-railway company to COM
ply with the provisions of its charter, and
urges the Council to take Immediate action in
the premises. On this head he says:
''The company should be required to discon-
tinue the use of the inferior. dangerous, and
unsightly 'bobtaif cars nowin use. CD The
T rail and old-time fiat rail should be replaced
with the most approved kind, as the charter
directs. (3) Conductors should be placed on
several of the principal lines. Ii the compa-
ny had been complying with the terms of its
charter on this subject for the past few years,
there is little doubt that several serious acct
dents and deaths of citizens, as we'll as several
murders and robberies of the company 8 drivers,
would not have occurred. a. The company
should be required to complete the Mississippi
street line to Twelfth street in the early
spring, or else take up the portion of the track
already laid: for to allow the company to leave
the line as it is will be to uphold it in prac-
ticing a plain deception and fraud on the
Council"
These recommendations will receive uni
versal approval, as will the further that
public opinion ought to compel the company
to substitute horses for mules in the car
service. AS long, however, the company
is permitted to defy the Council it cannot be
expected to yield to public opinion.
The Mayor makes number of other
recommendations which will doubtless receive
due attention from the Council, from which,
by the way considerable is expected. The
members constituting the majority were
elected with distinct understanding that
they were to use their best efforts to bring
the administration of city affairs to strictly
business basis, and they expected to work
steadily to this end. This does not imply
any reflection on the excellent record of the
late Council, but simply that the new one.
should, as the Mayor says, 'str.ve to i'm
prove, even on good example" The Mayors
message puts them in possession of all the
necessary facts for making good start