The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-08
TINE TO HALT.

A report made on Monday by the city
comptroller and printed yesterday shows
the municipality to be in debt nearly
two and a quarter million dollars.
From this aggregate there must
be deducted the, price paid for the
city water works, nearly a million
dollars. and nearly half million more
that is chargeable to individual property
holders; but when these deductions are
made there still remains an obligation OF
nearly one million dollars. In connection
with this information. the facts Of city ex-
penditure at this time have an especial in
terest and it is not pleasant to find that
for salaries and wages alone the city gov
eminent is spending more than it receives
at rate that viii make deficiency of
$4,000 for the current year.
The city is in the position of merchant
who finds himself in debt to the full limit
his credit viii bear and whose business or
social habits are organized upon a plan
that must, unless it be reformed, newt
ibly add to his obligations. The simple
thing and the absolutely necessary thing
to do Is to cut down expenses to just re-
lation to income. Tt is no. possible for the
city to go on spending more than 1t re-
ccives without plunging into financial
quagmires, if not into actual bankruptcy.
The new charter has been practically
tested and il has been found ir its com
plete execution too big and too costly for
the city in its present condition. In seek
ing to provide for the requirements of the
future it has put too burdensome load
upon the present. But the faults of the
charter are not radical or fatal. Ii is ex-
tremely flexible, purposely made so, and
If those who are at the head of affairs viii
abate their personal vanities and ambi-
tons and put aside petty, selfish interests,
1t can, without radical change, easily be
adapted TO the present necessities and con-
ditions. For example. the charter creates
number of departments, but there is no
reason why the council in its discretion
for several instead of one department;
no rerson why each department should
maintain its own separate organization Of
expensive clerks, and no reason why the
salaries of the chief officials should not be
reduced with their own consent.
A rational effort to cut off expenses has
been voted down by one branch of the
council through motives wholly selfish
and unworthy. One member hopes to be
. candidate for the mayoralty at some
future time. and sought by opposing re-
trenchment to gain strength with ''the
boys" another sought to protect his son
in the employment of large patronage as
. subordinate Official; another sought to
keep his son and his son-in-law in profit
able Jobs in the water department, and so
on Selishness in several forms COM
bined TO defeat y proposition sustained by
every motive of public interest
The charter was the production of nom
partisan commission. The Republicans,
the Democrats and the workingmen were
equally and ably represented. No party is
responsible for its deficiencies; but the
Republican party as the party in power is
responsible for its administration, and to
this party the people Of Seattle look for a
common-sense, practical adaptation of the
charter to the necessities and the resources
of city government.