Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-04-19
THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR SHEETS

ere time came near receiving its auietus
through the unwise projection into the
debate of the bonded debt issues, again
animates our people, 1t ought to be slim
ulated more and moro. We must decide,
and now, if Sacramento is to go ahead. or
stand still, or retrograde. twill do one
or the other of the two lest mentioned
things, unless the highways of the place
are improved well and extensively.
As matters stood, Sacramento, during
the winter, was g walled city, barring out
the products of the surrounding country,
and prohibiting the people from coming
into the town to trade. But there has
been debate enough concerning need of
improyement-she thing'so do now is to
$50 ahead" to begin! to take definite
action. Next Mondays session of the
Board of Trustees should not adjourn until
some stepis tSken that will be abreast with
the willingness of the people to improve
the streets, fer that they are willing and
anxious to do SO is lndeniable, and the
only questions that cali halt now concern
matters of methods.
A proposition is now before the people
that should be settled one way or another
at once and without forty-eight hours de-
lay. 1t is 10 submit to a vote the propo-
sition to issue 100000 worth of bonds of
the city for long terms, the sum realized
from their sale 10 be expended in paying
the city's share of the Improvement of the
streets. This share, it is generally con-
coded should be equal to the cost of inter
section work. 1t is not proposed that the
Trustees should issue the whole amount of
the bonds at one time, but only sufficient
to meet the needs of the present year, and
probably fifth of the sum would very
well serve the purpose. There are objec-
tions raised to the scheme and reasons ad-
vanced in favor Of it. Some of the latter
we recite, reserving consideration of other
views until it is determined whether the
proposition shall be submitted to a vote.
To the submission of the question, how
ever, there is not any substantial objection.
The authorities can afford at all times to
trust the people. The nearer government
is brought to the citizen the more satisfac-
tory and equitable it is. When any large
number of worthy citizens ask that a
public question be put to the test of the
ballot-box tc ascertain the will of the
people concerning it, it is the part of wis
dom TO do SC. If the people are not COM
petent to decide the question at issue, then
assuredly the Trustees are not. These
officials should not, therefore, object to be-
ing relieved of the responsibility of decid-
ing whether street improvement shall pro-
coed upon the plan proposed.
1t is said that the cost of holding the
election will be very considerable. To
this the friends of the proposition reply,
$50 it will if the usual methods are pur-
sued, but there is public spirit sufficient
in this city te-supply a full corps of Elec-
ton Boards, the members of which will
contribute their services one day for the
public good, and we, the friends of the
scheme, will secure the necessary volun-
teers among citizens whom the Trustees
will confirm as election officers. The cost
would thus be reduced to the rental of the
polling-places-and that expense might
also be eliminated by offers Of rooms free
Of charge-and the cost Of ballots and of
advertising the proclamation"
Concerning the proposition itself itsad-
vocates maintain that ."the time OF all
others to push ahead public improvements
is the hard time period; that there is to
be no call made upon the people for the
levy of tax, except such small sum as
may be necessary for payment of the in
terest upon such bonds as may be realized
upon; that prior to the passage of the
Vrooman bill the city did have street
intersection fund, and that all the people,
whether owners Of reality or not, con-
tributed to that fund through the avenue
of general taxation; that probably one
fifth Of the real estate Of the city exclusive
of that occupied by factories and industrial
works, is owned by non-residents, who, as
a rule, oppose improvement, and can be
reached only at the polls on such PROPOSE
tions as that under consideration; that
while it is true that many real estate
owners have paid, since the passage of the
Vrooman Act, for the construction of inter-
sections, and may, therefore, object to ex-
emption Of Others from that cost, it is also
true that such citizens cannot escape in
Jury, if general systematic and permanent
street improvement should be defeated by
The failure of the city to pay portion of
the cost of work, for it is to rebound |
TO the good of the whole people,
more than it is to benefit the property |
along the lines OF improvement" Finally |
i is urged by friends of the movement
hat mo such proposition as that referred
o. has ever been defeated in this city by a
7ote of the people"
These are the views, in part, of the citi-
,ens who favor the issuance of the bonds.
'ut not all the reasons they advance in
ayor of it. Sufficient has been quoted, |
however, to indicate their line of argu-
nent, and this has been done in common
ustice to that side Of the question. If the
is made, and the people approve
he scheme, it will mean prompt, energetic