Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-23
RETRENCHMENT.
The City Council Has Not
Weakened.
Some of the Members Express
Their Ideas.
Economy Without Impairing Eff
cheney the Proposed Plan.
Talks with CounciImen About Their
Position-Money Will Be Voted
for All Necessities But for
no Extravagances.


its plans for retrenchment, though the
matter has been allowed to fall out OF
sight, and considerable opposition has
developed itself in the library board,
the park commission, and particularly
in the board OF education.
A HERALD reporter recently inter
viewed number of the councilmen on
the matter, and the result is here given !:
President Bonsall said: "The council
will stand firm for what it believes to
be the interests of the taxpayers. We
told the school board what we would
allow them, and they can do what they
please about fixing salaries and engag-
ing teachers, but they will get no more
than we said. AS regards the library,
we did not propose to reduce that any
way. There are not any more than
enough clerks now, and they are none of
them extravagantly paid. We don't
propose to give them any money for new
books, but shall allow all they need for
legitimate expenses. Of course we
don't propose to allow any such nom
sense as branch libraries or delivery sta
tions, but we don't intend at all to i'm
pair the efficiency of the library"
Mr.. Nickel, the councilman from the
First ward, said: 81 think the council
and the school board have agreed pretty
we'll on the scale. of reductions. The
council outlined little more reduction
in salaries, but think we are all satis-
fed with what the school board has
done. Our idea was not to injure the
schools, but to reduce expenses. All
really necessary expenses must be met.
think the council will vote all money
needed for new buildings or enlargement
of old ones, for that is something that
must be done, and nothing
is to be gained by waiting.
The teachers salaries, though, were en-
tirely too large, and wholesome reduc-
ton has been made. With regard to
the library, think that with the excep-
ton of the allowance for new books
nothing will be touched. 1t may pos
siblv be necessary to allow them a little
money for new books in addition to that
we have allowed for periodicals, but
nothing like what they spent last year.
AS for the proposition to start branch
libraries in different parts of the city,
that is all nonsense. One public library
is enough, and people can manage to
come to that. A lot of ladies got hold
sented to make the proposition in the
council; then they came over and
thought we would no dare to vote against
the proposition while they were in the
room. That is just where they were off,
. for it would not influence my mind q
particle if a thousand ladies were in the
room. We don't propose to embark in
any extravaganza like that. With re-
gard to the parks, 1 would not, person
ally. object to any amount judiciously
spent upon parks. but l do object to
fayoritism and the utter neglect OF my
ward"
Councilman Summerland said: "This
retrenchment business is all farce. |
don't believe it is necessary in the line
the council has been working. l would
not vote for reducing my own salary,
neither will vote to reduce any one
else."
Councilman Rees said: ssThe public
has misunderstood our motives in this
retrenchment work from the beginning.
We don't want a single department of
city work to suffer for lack of funds, but
we do think that there has been an ex-
travagant use of money, and the occur
rences since we started in have gone to
prove it. Look at the city clerks office !;
see how they objected to any reduction
of their force, yet it was only the other
day that they offered to do some of the
extra work OF the assessor office for the
sake of the extra money, show
ing that they did not have
enough to keep them busy. What
object have we but the good OF the city
in making these reductions? This is
nota political campaign. l really think
that our school teachers have been re-
ceiving too much pay. They get great
deal more than they do east, vet living
is no more expensive. If it would i'm
pair the efficiency of the schools would
he the last to vote for it, but am sure
it will not. AS to the library, l think
there will be no disagreement at that
point. OF course we can't expect to
agree on details, but otherwise l don't
expect we shall have any trouble.
Everything will turn out all right, and
people will acknowledge that the coun-
Gil was right in its plans and reductions.
Mr.. Tufts remarked: "Oh, we've
talked enough about retrenchment
haven't we? / don't think the council
has receded from the position it has
taken. We mean to reduce the salaries
of teachers to reasonable point, but
not to reduce them below proper
grade. All the opposition that can be
aroused against our actions would not
influence me particle when ! believe
am right. The library is all right,
think. We don't want to be extrava
CANT, but we do want to be fair and tc
be up to the times. As for the parks
think the park commissioners were
verv moderate in their estimates, and
think their plan to finish up complete
" one park at time. while not neglect
ing the work already started, is a goot
one. We haven't let up on our retrench
ment plans by any means"
Mr.. Innes said: ] don't think We
have made any mistake in our retrench
ment work. There are some dissatisfied
ones, but they are principally those wh'
have been retrenched themselves. Thos'
who object that we have not first re
duced our own salaries should place
themselves in the same position witt
us. We work at this council worl
nearly every day in the year, though
j. see that some one says that we onl.
work four hours one day week. Gu
pay is not very large considering, ant
YOU will remember that we offered t
reduce our own pay in the same proper
ton that his honor the mayor would re
duce his, but the mayor did not respond
~ H.,