San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-28
A CHAPTER ON FINANCE.

the prohibition, know-nothing char
acter of the opposition to Callaghan 1t
Is in order to look little below the
surface. These reports are spread 10
catch the German vote. Is it posi-
BILE that intelligent Germans in San
Antonio are going to allow the Callag-
han crowd to draw the wool over
their eyes in this manner as was done
two years ago? Is it possible that In
telligent observing men, men every
way competent to transact business
and look after their own properties
are going to be turned aside from all
enquiry into the ruinous financial
policy of this present administration,
because some fool raises the false cry
of "prohibitionists." "know-noth-
ings." Is not the present administra-
ton convicted out of its own mouth
of wasteful expenditure of the public
money? Does not its own financial
statement of January 10th, 1889, prove
conclusively that the present admin
istration is not competent to conduct
the city's business? What man
would be considered a competent
financial agent, or a desirable bust
ness manager of concern, who per-
sisted in paying interest on borrowed
capital when he had funds to great
or amount than needed to liquidate
his Indebtedness, on deposit in bank
drawing no interest? This city by its
financial statement of above date has
S165. S92. % in bank and yet on the first
day of last November it was paying
interest at the rate of the Lord
knows what on Sl35,000 of borrowed
money, anticipating the tax levies
of the current year. These notes are
drawn without any specification of in
terest and no one knows save his
honor, the mayor, the amount of in
terest payable on these notes, or for
what the money was borrowed. since
the present mayor came into office the
bonded debt of this city has been in
creased $1,000 OF this amount $50
900 was appropriated for school build
inUs. and was not all so expended. Or
what real benefit to the city has been
the other $3.50, 900, and yet this in
crease of bonded Indebtedness has en-
tailed upon this city an annual bur-
den of S3l 900, of which amount S23,-
600 is interest and $4,000 sinking fund.
The MAYORS report of last February
shows tax collections for the year
S237. 425. not one cent of which has
been expended in city improvements,
and the bonded debt rolls up 100000
a wear and the tax levies are over
drawn $3.50, 900, for which money has
been borrowed, and the notes Of the
city given in such way that no man
living outside of the contracting
mayor and the lender can tell what
rate of interest has been charged. NO
INQUIRIES at the municipal office throw
any light upon this dark subject. The
folly of paying interest on loans when
money is in the bank is defended on
the ground that the money on deposit
cannot be used for such purposes as
the borrowed money is used without
violation of charter. Why this stick
ling for close Interpretation of char
ter in this matter and no other? The
charter is violated in the employment
of an assistant city clerk at $40" pei
annum but no word of the city char
ter Is heard in this case, for it suits
the mayor to have it so. Just the
same way with the auditing of city ac
counts and thousand other things
The charter is Mayor Callaghan'
rubber cloak which stretches to cove
every infringement of law which h
nriyately sanctions, and contracts +
l Uncover every act which he does no
, personally approve. Was the Sl5, 600 70
the Russi lot on Military plaza and tn
5000 for the Callaghan garbage lot &C
Q cording to charter or against it? wa
: it necessary to pay a superintendent
$3.50 for watching a hole in the groun
: until it became large enough to plac
stones in as foundation? Look
It this city today with its annual buI
n den of $31 900 saddled upon it for
b quarter of a centuary and more an
all that the city has to show for it
its school buildings and hole in tn
If centre of Military plaza.
)r Would it not be more wise and mo
1T in accordance with sound busine
sense for the taxpayers to make son
le enquiries into these things, and 81
If what remedy for such useless squa
dering of the public money can be
piled, rather than be giving creden'
10 to false reports concerning candidat
~ 10 put forward to remedy existing evil
)" Is there any excuse for saddling t
I'd present incompetent and irrespOns
T. BILE order of things upon the city sim
ly because some fool says the refOr
movements prohibition one? Eve
o. man of discretion in this city with
Je. thimbleful of brains know that t
co whole thing is false-that the refo
"n ticket is no more prohibition than t
CaIIaghan ticket, and only II We
he weak mind will be led into ditch
yor such false cries. Reform the admit
Tho tration by turning out the men "
.no have dahamnhed il this is The