San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-31
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

Mayor Callaghan made little
speech at the last meeting of the city
council, which, in the vanity OF his
imagination, he intended as q
squeecher of all his opponents"
at has been whispered by oppo-
nents of mine" says the mayor. Yes
Mr.. Mayor the whole city is a whis-
pering gallery, and if you will but
listen and be attentive, it will sound
like the roar of q mighty CATARACT
the voice of a long suffering but
patient people, whose burdens you
have needIessly increased, whose
confidence you have recklessly
abused.
~ do not wish to curtail the free
speech privileges of these GROWERS"
says our mayor. No it would be
dangerous stretch of your power to
attempt to curtail free speech, or to
nuZZle a free press, it is sufficient
that within the walls of your city
council you can command the death
like silence of the elected representa-
tives of the people; that through the
use of the peoples money you can
subsidize newspapers, it would be
dangerous proceeding TO attempt to
muzzle the people.
You have acknowledged that
the whisperings have been loud
enough to penetrate to the inner
walls of the city hall, be sure that the
winds that blow hither and thither
over our fair city watt these whisper
ings in thunder tones over the thou
sand homes where honest industry
and frugal habits enable an upright
and independent people to live despite
the reckless and eXtravagant OF their
public affairs.
1.-THE records are open to them"
secrets of the inquisition, the people
don't need to 60 to the records, they
are too busy in their daily avocstions
to attempt the task or to spend the
time looking into the complicated
records of the city hall; it is fact
that even the members of the city
council are ignorant of the records"
and unable to answer the simplest
inquiry touching the finances OF the
city, but this body waits on the
utterances from the throne and never
questions q statement made from
that quarter.
"It is perfectly absurd" says the
mayor, "to put 5000, 900 building like
this down in the mud and leave it in
that way" The people would like to
know who ''put it in the mud,n who
made it cost $500. 900 when the con-
tract price was SO 1000 less than the
it is to cost.
The people would like to know why
this business has been SO badly reck-
lessIy. extrsvagantly conducted that
SIS ono has been added to the
contract price of the city hall.
1t may be "sbsurd" in the estima-
ton of Mayor Callsghan that any one
should question his methods of doing
things, but there is certainly nothing
absurd in an inquiry about public
contracts for paving or anything else;
the people are not opposed to needed
but there is moth
ing absurd" in asking if the
Is on hand to pay for
1t, and if the contracts have
been let to the lowest and best
bidders, there is nothing absurd in
this. But there is something absurd
in permitting the mayor to give out
$50, 900 worth of public work to whom
he pleases and at figures to suit him
self. Our city council is becoming
every day more servile to the will of
the mayor, and less attentive to the
wishes of the people.
Now, this little piece of ,mayoralty
was followed by an ex-
lubition of aldermanic servility. "Mr.
Weber moved that the work pro-
coed, snd the motion received unani-
nous support"
These representatives of the people
did not dare or care to question in the
slightest particular how the work
was being done, at what cost, or It 1t
had been awarded to the lowest bid
der.
There was another "little speech"
made by the mayor at the same meet
ing that will furnish the people food
for reflection.
Building Permit
Merscheidt and Stieren, dwelling,
Hockert street, lst ward, 5000.
Marriage licenses
Pablo Villareal and Lena Vara.
Charles Schuette and Ida Cess