The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-04
ELECTRIC PLANT AND THE MAYOR.

The annual message of the Mayor. which
appeared in our issue of yesterday, contains
a number Of useful suggestions and recon-
mendations, which are entitled TO the very
attentive consideration Of the people OF THIS
city. The strong position taken by the Mayor
in favor Of the most careful economy in our
public expenditures meets with an unusual
degree Of popular approval. The credit Of the
city. he states in this document. lis deservedly
high. but to maintain il we must be economical
in our expenditures, and carefulto keep our APP
preparations within the limits Of our income.
ANY long-continued violation Of this rule
will inevitably lead to an increase of tax
alton" These are words TO when
every citizen will heartily subscribe. I'm
der the new assessment the limit OF the
city's bonded Indebtedness is so far extended
ms 10 give margin for the issue OF s1,2O3,7Ol
of bonds. Estimating our entire revenue"
saws the Mayor, lat si,S0O, 900. and deducting
1920. 900 for interest and redemption, we have
left for all other purposes :Ss00OO. This will
not be enough to meet all the urgent demands
upon the municipal government, hut wisely
distributed, it will enable MS to provide for
all the pressing needs of the city govern
ment."
II is somewhat surprising to find that the
Mayor, after acknowledging that this sum
will not be enough to meet all the demands
upon the municipal government" recon-
mends the establishment Of an electric plant,
which. even under Colonel Cutshaw's con-
servative estimate. will entail a cost upon the
city of nearly double the amount originally
named. Can it be truly said that the estab-
lishment of such a plant must be included
among the urgent demands upon the mu-
nicipal government" or that If the public
moneys were devoted to this purpose, 1t can
be properly considered as wise distribu-
ton of the public funds? We venture TO
say that it would not, under existing circum-
stances. be so considered by the majority Of
our citizens, especially in the light Of fact
upon which the Mayor dwells at some length
in his message namely, the need of larger ap-
preparations for the improvement of our street
system.
There is nothing" he says, very properly
$500
taxable values of a city than well paved
streets We have not been able to accomplish
all that we could have wished in regard to the
improvement Of our streets because of the
small appropriation annually made for that
purpose"
This is undoubtedly true. Shall we curtail
our ability to make large appropriations for
our streets, now that the basis Of
taxation is enlarged, and the margin
Of our bonded indebtedness extended.
by making an appropriation running
over an hundred thousand dollars, for such a
scheme as the establishment Of an electric
plant whose place can be readily supplied by
private companies? If there is an urgent de-
mand upon the municipal government" it lies
in this matter of street improvements, as the
Mayor himself admits II heartily recon-
mend" he says in his message, that the APP
preparation for this purpose be so increased as
to enable us TO begin some of the more impor-
tant improvements that have been so long de-
layed, and TO put in better condition such Of
our principal thoroughfares as are in most
need of repairs"
Apart from those evil principles and in
fuences involved in the establishment of an
electric plant which we have commented on
from time TO time from n number of points of
view, the diversion of an enormous sum from
our streets to an electric plant would be an
act that would come directly under what the
Mayor terms IAN unwise distribution of the
public funds" at a time when. as he points
out in his message, there is not enough in
come to meet the urgent demands upon the
municipal government" To make an APP
preparation for this purpose would be a vio-
lation of the economical expenditure Of the
public funds, upon which he lays so much
stress and would in the end inevitably lead,
to use his own words, to an increase of tax
alton.
True economy demands that if the city is
really in a position 10 make n large APP
preparation for an electric plant the amount
of that appropriation shall be turned over to
the Street Committee to carry out improve
ments, which, as the Mayor very properly de-
clares, add to our taxable values" instead
of burying il in an establishment which cur
tails the rights of private competitors. and
extends the political evils of municipal
patronage, without comforting any benefit
upon the people at large, unless the benefit
consists in their being taxed indirectly instead
of directly for the support Of our municipal
government.