Evening journal., 1892-01-16
JUGGLING VIII FIGURES.

/ A Republican CITY Council Tries to Make
/ a Democratic Deficit TO Justify Its own.
To-day the Morning News contains q
truly exhaustive statement by which 1t
| hopes to show that the late Democratic
! Council left deficit Of $40, 1926 % in.
stead OF balance of $40, SIG Al This
Statement was prepared for Franklin B
Cotton by City Auditor Billany. Ii was
made for political purpose and the city
auditor knew IL when he made II. Bust
ness methods we're forgotten and nothing
but juggling with figures was thought
| Of.
Ex-President Farra's Opinion.
II there is any man In the city who is
capable of giving fair statement It Is
ex- President OF Council Farra. He is
respected and believed by Democrats and
Republicans alike Speaking Of the
Cotton Billsny statement he says:
The statement is a dishonest one
There Seems TO be frantic desire to pre-
pare the way for a deficit at the end of
the fiscal year by endeayoring to shift the
responsibility from the present admins.
tration TO the preceding year of Demo.
cratic management.
''rhe misleading assertions and
tRANN VI nEAtbc HIH tuA-
ningly devised, but careful scrutiny by
one familiar with the system Of account
ing used by the city, will show that the
handsome surplus left BY the Demo.
cratic Council remains practically uaim-
paired
The statement Of June bills paid in
JHly we're all provided for Ia the appro-
priations made for this year. This will
he nj t,,1,r 81 . 4
propriations for interest and the redemp.
ton Of bonds, which the present Council
cannot exhaust by extravaganza on their
part, as these are fixed charges. That
the present City Council has had to nay
judgments against the city amounting to
about $6. 900, Is unfortunate, but It has
happened in former years, and the
y uncil That succeeds this oae will prob.
ably have similar judgments to pay. These
bills are the outcome of disputes
at law, and IL Is q matter OF Justice TO
the tax payers that the money is not paid
from the treasury until legal resources
are exhausted, aud it Is definitely settled
that payment has to be made.
In providing for the appropriations
for next year tho same course win be
pursued In regard to June bills as was
Done last year, and by all previous
Democratic and Republican Councils
since the present city charter went into
effect
Taking the statement of the Cotton
BillanY financial combination tho bills
that can be fairly said TO act as an Offset
to the balance Of $40 576 al do not amornt
to more than $500.
An Ex-City Auditors Opinion.
Ex-City Auditor Mitchell saws;
1T has always been customary to pay
June bills out of the next years appro.
priatioDs, and declare a balance exclu-
sive of them Take this statement. for
instance: Here Is one item as an example
William Q. Ford. three months rent
OF pound. TO Juno 25. 1891, S37 so. ;
OF course the retiring Council could not
pay that because it would not be paid
until the first regular bill night in the
following month. Such items are too
numerous to enumerate fully, but the
following are good examples and
show how unreliable the statement Is
II. Mitchell, Jr.. for collecting city
and school tax from October 16. 1890. 10
July |, 1891, STAG so; interest list for
the month ending July l, 1891, as. 4S7 !.
redemption Of bonds, July /, 1891, Sc, O0O. :
There you haves over $4,000 there
that the Democratic Council could not
pay because it was not due.
THE plain truth of the matter is that
the Republican Councilman see that thew
are In hole and win make bad showing
at the end Of the fiscal year. Therefore
they would like the public to believe that
i is caused by Democratic Councils bills
left over.
A Mass OF Ignorance.
Clerk Of Council Messick gives the
following opinion:
THE statement is a mass Of ignorance.
The ordinance making the appropria-
lions Tor the ensuing fiscal year
is always passed in the month Of Nav
In 1881 It was passed on May 2s, and
approved by the mayor on June K
Among the appropriations provided for
are: Interest, SOS, 62l redemption of loan
S2l, 300 and salaries, $40, 600 Included
IN the interest appropriation is the
", 4o7 OF interest due July 1; inithe re-
demption of loan, S. 700 due July /, and
IN the salaries the miscellaneous
police and Council pay-rolls pay
able in July to the amount OF
$o69 .02 There is no such thing
HAehe nave Oh manu-, as the ordinance
as Juno interest 1t is July interest.
II would be impossible for Council to
pay that, no matter how mnch balance It
provides when it shall be paid.
1T Is surprising that Mr.. Cotton, who
was member Of the Finance Com
mittee which prepared this very
ordinance, should include items aggre-
eating $50, 1856. so, to create such false
IN, r,roopfor,