San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-30
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.


What the People are Saying.
The violent displacement of our
splendid volunteer fire department
by paid force, caused q good deal OF
feeling at first, but our community is
so thoroughly used to having things
rubbed into them, that the feeling
seems to have died away.
There seems no real good reason for
doing away with our volunteer fire
department.; 1t was maintained at q
cost of SIC, 900 a year; 1t was eminent
ly efficient; it was composed of the
best of material; aud from the infre-
queucy of fires there was really no
necessity for the doing away with the
volunteers yet wv lille.
4
But the king willed it, and without
notice or ceremony, the volunteer fire
depar tment was swept out of exist
@ nee at called meeting OF the city
council;..and the loud kickers have
even ceased to kick.
Now let us look at it and see in
what particular the city administra-
ton has benefited the people; they
have killed the old fire department
and in its p ace put a paid force,
which will cost at least $4,000 per
year. This is certainly no improve.
ment.
The paid department will be mad Q
up with an eye to ward politics, and
will be an auxiliary to the party in
office, on the elect ton day; this GER
tainly is no adva ntsge to the people
who pay the bill to keep these paid
firemen in place.
Worse than all, the engine houses
have become chronic lOafing places;
the paid firemen have nothing or lit
tie to do and put in their time loung-
ing, sleeping and reading novels; this
is certainly no Improvement over the
volunteers.
Nepotism seems to prevail to an
immOdest extent in every department
of the city government. The mayor
takes care of numerous relatives; the
"acting mayor" gets in his work, by
giving Charley job as market in
spector.
Alderman Lockw is credited
with respectable list of appoint
ments. Who bIames the m? The
people are Indifferent; and hay must
be made while the sun shines.
The question of double salaries is
one of interest to the people. Our
absent mayor is the only person
authorized to draw the mayors sal
ary. Yet, acting mayor Schriner is
not only doing duty az mayor, but
that of recorder and alderman as we'll.
According to the custom heretofore
prevailing he ought to receive three
salaries.
The city auditor is confronted with
cry crowd. The city attorney will be
called on for his opinion frequently. --
A good example should be set by
the city officials who are delinquent
tax payers; they should either pay
up or be made to do so out of their
salaries. The people would feel more
cheerful in paying their taxes if the
officials were more prompt.
The poverty or our citizens, so far as
ma tional bunting Is concerned, was
never 80 glaringly apparent as on
memorial. day. 1t is q humiliating
fact that whenever an occasion occurs
that it is appropriate to unfurl the
American flag our opulent citizens run
to the military post to borrow the en-
blem of the nations glory. It would
be . good idea for every merchant in
our city to invest q few dollars in an
American flag, and on independence
day, show his patriotism by appro-
pirate decoration of his place of bust
ness. San Antonio is too loyal city
g. l. 10, t~fN