The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-19

There is bill now before the State Leg
islature of supreme Importance to Seattle,
and the energy of the King county delega-
ton should be concentrated upon its pas
sage. 1t is the bill ito enable cities and
towns to validate certain warrants and
other obligations and evidences of indebt-
edness on the part of such cities and towns
issued by the corporate authorities thereof
in excess OF their legal authority" Prior
to the adoption of the present State Con-
stitution. the government of Seattle was
operated rindera statutory charter which
limited the Indebtedness TO per cent. oil
the assessed valuation of property. On
May 3sst. 1850. the amount thus available
was only 10000. The new constitution
permitted cities To incur an indebtedness
of y per cent, beyond which proportion
no further indebtedness could be con-
tracted unless authorized by the voters at
a special election. The urgent necessities
of the city due to its rapid growth in that
year, and the still greater requirements af-
ter the fire, when miles of street had to be
planked and other inevitable expenses
borne, compelled the authorities to incur q
liability by the issue of warrants to an
amount considerably in excess of the con-
stitutional limit. These warrants the
city is now DESTROYS of redeeming, AID
proposes to fund the Indebtedness they
represent by the creation of a bonded
debt.
1t has full power to fund the debt, but is
M l. - kh.k he
expenditure had not been voted upon,
and the funded Indebtedness, although it
should receive the sanction Of the voters,
would still be tainted by original illegality.
This hiatus in the procedure the bill in
question is intended to fill. 1t in no way
yiolates the spirit of the constitution or
exceeds its limitations. The people Of
Seattle are willing and able to assume le-
gally what is already moral obligation.
and there is no reason whatever for refus-
ing to endow it with the power it asks.
1t is unnecessary to recount the extra
ordinary circumstances surrounding Seat
ties condition during the period when the
relief afforded by the constitution was ac-
corded. That relief was ample. but it did
not come in time and the bill now before
the House of Representatives makes the
measure complete.
No arguments should be needed to plead
for the passage of the bill. 1t is the hon.
orablc act of debtor desiring to pay
debts which the state has declared lawful.
Failure by neglect or perversity will most
seriously hamper Seattle and compel her
to pay 10 per cent. interest on nearly $780,
600 until the next Legislature meets, when
it could have all the money it needs at 6
per cent. There are incidental features of
unnecessary oppression involved, with
which most members of the county dele
CATION are familiar, and they should spare
no pains to see that the matter is properly
placed before the other members of the
Legislature whose intelligence and
state pride may be relied upon to
comprehend the urgen cy of the situation
and confer the necessary power.
The Clearing House Association has
addressed an appeal to the city council to
send delegation to Olympia, to cooperate
with representatives Of other organized
bodies in Seattle, in advocacy of the bill;
and TO that end the PosT-INTELLIGENcER
earnestly commends the attention of all
who are interested in the city's prosperity.