San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-28
What Our German Neighbors are
Saving


| question asked: What have Won fweI
against the administration that You on
| pose it SOP to which we must ALWAYS
| give the stereotyped answer: we have
absolutely nothing against the admins
tratiOn ITSELF
| 1t seems incomprehensible to many
persons that we may sharply criti-
| icize improper conduct in public affairs,
and yet have no personal dislike towards
| those criticized.
Without assuming to seek to act as
| guardians, and control said administra-
tion, we nevertheless claim the privilege
| OF asking some pertinent questions, one OF
which is: Why does the city administra-
ton keep itself like closed oyster in mat
tiers OF purely public interest, especially
with relation to pecuniary matters? Next:
The people would like to know what
mas become of the census, which was
taken at the expense of the city?
III is asserted by competent authority
that the taking of the said census was en-
the sum OF $500 (Which the taking Of
said census is said to have cost, was ex-
pended illegally and has never yet been
sanctioned by the city council. Would it
not nave been more proper for the ad-
miniStration to have given the citizens
information regarding this matter before
the coming election?
why 10 ~ IudJ dlJeT GeptdJcu TeQucSIo
answers to these questions have not been
given US?
The next question we allowed ourselves
to ask Is, what has become of the $3.50, 900
worth of city bonds, issued some months
ago?
AS the report goes, these bonds have
been already sold. Would it not have
ton to have informed the public official
ly at what prices these bonds have been
sold, if sold?
1t is always concerning the public
money of the citizens that we speak, and
therefore we should Judge that it is
nothing but fair and just that
the citizens should know what
has become of those city bonds, for the
issuance of which they voted in conf
dence.
Has the money for those bonds been
received by the city treasurer, or have
the bonds not been sold yet?
On so large sum as S350,OO0 the
monthly interest amounts to consider
able sum itself, and therefore it would be
desirable to know whether the ready
cash therefor is lying idle in the bank or
not-whether it is at interest or not;
whether or not those bonds have yet
been really sold, and hence whether
or not the interest due therefore from
the time OF issuance up to day of sale has
been deducted and placed to the credit of
the city or not? These are certainly
modest and justifiable questions, and
ought not tic, to give 'ffep Tense to any fair
eesily and quickly answered to the full
satisfaction of the public propounding
them.
Itmay also not be out of place to INQUIRE.
politely, whether high" or slow truss
bridges have been contracted tor
S by the city it we have AYE
Council that the Contracts were for iSy
truss bridges; and yet the st. Mary's
street bridge appears to be a 'high truss"
bridge. We are further informed that
slow truss" bridges are from 81 900 to S.
600 higher in price than "high truss
bridges are. The contracts, so far as we
have been able to find out, have been let
for low truss" bridges, and how it is now
erected as thigh truss" bridges and
yet members Of the city council know
nothing about it; and what is going to
become of the difference between the cost
Of "high-truss" and "low-truSs" bridges,
If any?
Can we be blamed if we ask these per-
tinent questions for information, in the
interest OF our citizens, especially when
the same has become common street gOs-
sig?,
The anxiety of our citizens has been
further aroused by the fact that the street
paving has been suddenly stopped,
and as the report goes, because no
contract has been signed, nor bond given,
by the contractor, and that for the last
street-paving no competition was called
for by said administration, and all such
work seems to have quietly drifted into a
monopoly.
We feel satisfied that the administra-
ton ought to be able to give satisfactory
explanation of all this, If they desire so
to do; and can the public be blamed If
they do demand an explanation?
Another assertion has been made
to us, viz: that no regular book
keeping for the receipts and expendi-
lures Of the city are kept, as is customary
with every other we'll regulated business
and which business of such immense
proportions as the City of San Antonio
deal with thousands of persons.
We don't pretend to be experts in this
matter, however, as this assertion has
been made on all sides, with the statement
that the proof therefor can be furnish
ed we ask it, and it will
vantage of the administration if they
would give satisfactory information con-
corning these matters, to our citizens.
We have asked the above questions be-
cause they are propounded to us daily,
and answers requested; and considering
the importance thereof, we can not I'M
derstand how it is that they do not meet
with the prompt and proper attention,
demanded by their Importance, thereby
ri wing room and occasion for. perhaps,
unjustified comments. THE EDITORS"
N. B.-The people now have the oppor
tunity to answer these questions at the
polls. and it behooves them to do so.