The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-19
DEMOCRACY PROVES A TAX
This Business Administration" to Make
Another Temporary Loan of S125,O00.
Total Floating Debt of $l5S, 50O-Secret Dis
cussion of Water Contradictory
Buildings Condemned.
Two years ago the Republicans turne

Two years ago the Republicans turned
over the city government to the Demo-
cratic party with floating debt of a little
over S42.O 600. consisting of temporary loan
OF $4,000 and an overdraft. which Con-
troller Woollen, when head of the Council 8
finance committee, last winter placed at a
little over $4,000. The Democrats. on Jan.
next. will close their first administration
with a floating debt of S15s50l. The &C
count will. on that date, stand thus:
Floating debt at close OF the last Repub-
ican administration Tin round num-
bers) NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $43, 200
Floating debt at close Of the first Dem
ocratic administration. .-.....-.. 15S, 800
Two years of Democracy has cost. 81 5, 500
This magnanimous business administra-
ton" and its party organs can lie about
the city's finances during the heat of a
campaign. but when the time comes to
"ante." the plain, ungarmented. ruthless
truth lies bare. Jan. i, 1892 the city of In
dianapolis will be paying interest on tenn
pOrary loans aggregating Sl5S,500. includ-
ing the loan of So. 500 made recently to pay
for fire department. apparatus. And all
this in face of the fact that permanent i'm
provements, the city's portion of which
pleted this year. and consequently Will
not have Co be paid for this year.
Last evening the ways and means commit
tee OF the Council met In Controller w ool-
lens Office at tho courthouse for the Os.
tensible purpose of preparing report on
the business referred to 1t at the last meet
ing of the Council, but the real reason was
that financier Woollen wanted to break
the ice and let the COMMITTEES know the
size of the hole" III which the city is now
Hy1a t,eto hn Lf,aly Al TO
posed of tirst so far Chairman Rassmann
and Councilman Cooper, of the committee,
are concerned. Messrs. Gauss. Austin and
PIersOn. also members OF the committee,
were not present, bnt their offices were
readily assumed by the able Mr.. WoOllen.
The committee will report favorably on
the bill of SS.42 to clean mp the late cleo.
ton expenses. that of S42l.61 in favor of ID.
Z. Burns for legal services rendered the
city in timos OF peace. and Auditor Tag
CARTS bill of 8. S73.9 80 that should have been
paid year or two ago.
After the business noted above had been
disposed of Controller Councilman Clear
ing-house William Wesley WOollen got
committee that. although this wise "busi-
ness administration" had exercised the
greatest economy in the matter of salaries
and other lncidentals, 1t would be neces-
sary for HIM to have authority to make
temporary loan of $4,000 to meet the ex-
penses of the city. OF course the ways and
means committee will recommend the max
ing of the loans. as. owing to it's political
complexion and the exIgencies of the
case, there is no other course
left open. The committee will recommend
that Controller Woolien begiven authority
to borrow S125,OO0. in such manner as he
may see fit, in anticipation of the revenue
to be derived from the April installment of
the taxes of 1892. the loans not to run be-
yond April 20. 1892.
There will be found something hrmiliat-
ing In Mr.. WOollen's request for such an
enormous amount of money. When the
Journal predicted several months ago TINT
the city would be paying interest on tenn
porary loans aggregating more than 100000
Jan. /. the idea was laughed at by the ad-
mlDistration and cried down as a campaign
lie by the Democratic organs. Even when
the Journal showed conclusIvely. but two
or three days ago. that the amount of the
temporary loans would aggregate at least
$4,000, Ex-Deputy Controller Sam Per-
rOtt said there wasn't a word of truth in
the statement The journal, at that time.
did not think that the Extravaganza of the
business administration" or the lack of
perspicuity of the department of finance
had been so great that an additional loan
of Sl25. 900 would be necessary by Jan. 1.