The morning call., 1891-06-16

the first year seems to have no practical re-
suits in the reduction of expenses the sue
ceading year, for it seems the greater famll-
| iarity with the duties leads to increased
! demands for extra deputies. Among many
! of the departments where retrenehment is
! imperative this is one that the people eX-
pect will be conducted on something like a
| business basis.
PATRONAGE CONTROLS.
"Every incentive is given to this Office to
| ignore demands for places, but patronage
| seems to control its operations, and every
! incumbent is impressed with the great
| amount of labor and the number OF hours
| which, under the system, the deputies have
| to work to perform their duties. ms per-
| sistency in urging increased appropriations,
if it was not expensive, would be amusing
The present Assessor IS pledged TO an
economical administration of this depart
ment, and from his well-knOwn popularity
and reputation there can be no doubt that,
if his business tact is used in the conduct OF
this department, the amount allowed Will
not be all expended. The assessment OF
personal property can be conducted on a
simple basis by competent, energetic deDu-
ties allotted to this duty and constrained to
perform good and faithful service, or, fall
ing in that, forfeit their places. 1t Is under
stood and expected that. under the present
administration of this Office, the cOmpensa-
ton allowed the Assessor of Is per cent on
the collection of pOll-taXes will be used IN
part in the payment of pOll-taX collectors,
| and not be made the business Ot deputies
paid by the city to perform that service.
TINE FOR A CHANGE.
''This custom of the city paying for this
service, It Is alleged, has been practice OF
Assessors for years past, until IL mas De-
come by precedent an established rule, and
- - - oh, \ an on
tom not sanctioned by law or justified by
any precedent. The facts are that the As
SCISSOR in this allowance of - per cent for
the collection of poll taxes, alter paying
the cost OF collection, embracing pOll-taX
collectors. postal card notices or other books
or stationery required, VIII net handsome
income from this source independent OF his
salary. Your committee, Impressed with
this Interpretation Of the law, will aid the
Assessor in the enforcement of this much-
needed reform, and when efferted, this
board and the public viii hear no more COM
plant that this appropriation IS not enough
to allow the employment Of sufficient depu-
ties"
THE COUNTY CLERK.
In relation TO the County Clerk, the eSti-
mate is put at the exact amount OF his
pledge, because it Is believed that he can
keep within il if he is disposed 60 and has
any regard for the sanctIty OF his pledge,
True, the law allows him more, but if to
take what the law allows he wishes to dis
regard his pledge, the committee SAYS 'let
him assume the responsibility OF his own
acts"
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
The amounts provided foT the School De-
partment are as follows:
Teachers salaries. ................. SS25 600
Maintaining common schools. -....--.---. $4,000
Salary superintendent Deputy and oecre- .
V.fy-.- -.----' S'5oV
This being the most important branch of
our government it Is especially desirable
TO AID in all efforts 10 extend and secure the
benefits and advantages OF common school
education TO all our children. The depart
ment Is hard to control, for its influence Is
mighty and far reaching. The people de-
mand that the schools must be adequate.
Retrenchments are necessary. The ability
4 d experience Of the present SuperInten-
dent would be of valuable assistance in re-
modelling the whole system, and without
doing injustice to any one, secure radical
reform and economical administration If bis
views were Endorsed and enforced.
The amount of $685. 600 Is specially set
aside for teachers salaries, but that In no
way authorizes that expenditure if by con-
sOliiatloD of classes or otherwise that
amount is more than sufficient.
While it is the duty OF the Board Of Etu-
cation TO appOrti0n the demand allowed for
the different expenditures and not To draw
on one subdivision for the purpose Of paying
a demand properly ChargeaOle TO another,
yet this duty has been neglected for year
after year. The teachers are made 10 suffer
by being deprived of a portion of their
salary, the money being without warrant or
authority used tor other purposes.
Your committee Is pleased to know that
the present Board of Education is also
pledged to reform and economy, and viii
set aside the amount provided Tor salaries
OF teachers and for other purposes by estab-
fishing the amounts Of the various su5dI-
visions as required by law. As the Auditor
has declared this to be ais purpose Ia audit
ing demands on the School Fund, the board
will have valuable assistance.
Il is posS BILE that $4,000 will be received
from the State in addition TO the amount
estimated, from the subdivision OF The mon
eyS IN the State treasury from the Grammar
School Fund.
There seems, therefore, to be no reas on
why, with the appropriation, an increase Of
$40, 600 over last year, all The add tional re-
quirements imposed under the pledge cannot
be attained.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The remarkable pertinacity with which
the demands of this department are pre-
scented is not characterized by good judg-
meut, for, while his board is aware Of the
propriety of furnishing additional fire pro-
lection, there is nothing attempted 10 be
done 70 reduce the present expenditures 4;
and it does not clearly appear but what
with the present means and desire 10 stop
eXtravagHnt expenditures all reasonable
wants could be met The appropriations
made are As follows:
Material ............ $50 600
Running expenses so 900
Salaries. ........... go 900
Hose hydrauts OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 29 95S
Total. S4O9 s58