San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-03
HON. GEO. G. ALTGELT
Gives the Light a Sensible Talk
About Local Affairs.


A reporter of the LIGHT this morning
| attempted to interview Mr.. Geo. c. Alt
gelt upon the late proceedings OF the city
| council, but the gentleman named refused
to answer questions, though he did not
refuse to talk The following is the sub
stance of what he said
| am like the son of Alderman Stick
in the Mud" when asked at school by his
teacher who was the greatest man that
ever lived, and he answered Bryan Gala
CHAN. That boy was about right. The
proceedings of Mr.. Callaghan's so-called
city council, in his court journal, show
amendments proposed contain more than
at first reading would appear.
/ fail entirely to see what OBJ
lection there can be to electing
our assessor, engineer and marshal.
The danger OF electing incompetent men
men for these places is more than balanc-
upon us that are tools In the hands OF the
Sections 43 and As. Amounts to a plea
of guilty to having issued bonds that are
not in conformity with law. The mayor
seems to overlook one thing, however,
that validating act cannot help matters
under our present constitution. III these
bonds were issued without lawful authori-
ty, the legislature cannot fix them upon
us as debts.
The proposition to have these bonds
validated by an act Of the legislature is
bold. We are not even told what the
amount of these bonds is.
| Iapestion that there Is a citizen OF this
city, who knows whether or not the bonds
that we voted were ever in fact placed.
The issue was authorized but where are
the bonds or the proceeds OF sale? The
city treasurers reports do not account for
them except in part.
Section 9s is evidently intended to meet
the decision Of the court of appeals, de-
claring invalid the city ordinance with
reference to disorderly houses.
To make the jurisdiction OF the city ex
elusive of the state courts is a doubtful
expedient in any event. We know how
| such courts are conducted at times. A
Jury trial as matter Of right and without
the pre- payment OF any Jury Zee is q great
safeguard against a judge inclined to be
oppressive. In the recorders court 1t is
different. There is semblance Of author
| ity in the charter for demanding the pre-
payment of jury fee of three dollars by
the defendant demanding jury trial be-
fore a jury is summoned.
The right Of appeal is put poor con-
ISOLATION in such matters.
Section 1877 is to be amended in order to
offer the public some excuse for increas-
ing the salary of the city treasurer three
times. His duties are apparently in
creased.
| question that there is in the city a
bank that would refuse to receive the
city's deposits and pay out the money on
warrants or checks even though the city
did not borrow money from it at interest
when there are plenty OF funds in the
treasury called special funds.
This would leave the city treasurer
| nothing to do but to make his quarterly
| reports (beSides, perhaps, marching at
the head of professions of benevolent
political associations. These reports are
| made at leisure, usually six months be-
| hind time. and five hundred dollars per an
| mum is more than adequate compensation
for the service. Why payments are not
always made in the manner the charter
| prescribes, is mystery to me. 1t is the
simplest mode OF payment, and the best
the law commands it,
Tread the court journal daily, but have
| not seen any treasurer report Tor long
time. After a days close attention to
business, the generalities OF these reports
are good reading; they relax the mind; in
fact, you don't know what you have read
when you get through.
But now comes the milk in the charter
| amendment cocoanut-salarieS.
| am usually considered as opposed to
Mayor Callaghan's administration. This
| time agree with him in his objections to
having the mayors salary raised to
5000 per annum. 1t is extravaganza
without precedent in Texas. The governor
receives $4,000 annually, the Chief JUS
tice $3.50 Heads of Departments from
g., 900 to g., 500 yet this city proposes to
paw her mayor 5000. l am satisfied
that il Mayor Callaghan will follow up
his objections in the halls OF the legisla-
ture that he will carry his point espec-
tally if he tells the solOns about the
mayors contingent fund of $1,000 appro-
priated annually. When we consider the
real income of the city exclusive OF pro-
ceeds of bonds nearly all the salaries
are too high.
The financial policy of the admins
stration seems to be After us the de-
luge." As TO the Fire Department,
| what else could the boys expect The
| noblest work that they ever did eXtin-
| guishing fires at the risk of their healths
! and lives is a small circumstance com
| pared to the offence they gave in not
| voting as they were expected to. A paid
| fireman who does not pull in harness can
| be readily fired as it is called. i notice
| an item in the court journal to the effect
| that the city attorney has already gone
| to Austin with the amendments. III we
| let matters go by default they may be
passed. 1t is usually so at least. We
| ought to send a committee to Austin to
| assert the rights of tax payers as opposed
to the aggressions Of Office holders and
| politicians.