San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-20
SHORT STOPS.
What the PEOPLE are Saving

| The mayor contingent lunu OF SlOO pc
month is an item often alluded to, as one
of the open rObberies of the city treasury
1t has become, under the Callaghan reign
a part of the mayors personal perqWsites
The origin of this fund is a resolution
| passed during the Giraud administration
| Dec. 4th, 1873. and can be found on page
| 96, vol 4, OF council proceedings. 1t reads:
| Resolved, that the sum of one hundred
| dollars per month be placed at the dis
pOsal of the mayor, to be used for Incl
| dental expenses for which he is to account
at the end of each month.
During the French administration this
fund was appropriated and partially used
to pay bills not provided for in the regu-
lar appropriations, but at the end of each
month the mayor rendered an itemi2ed
account Of every cent spent out OF this
fund.
After Callaghan came in, this 500 grad
ually fell into the pocket of the mayor as
part of his salary, and no account ever
seems to have been rendered OF how it
was disposed Of.
Thus twelve hundred dollars year has
disappeared contrary to the charter and
in open defiance of law. The sum figures
up into the thousands. 1t is just such
leaks that have made our city borrower
and mendicant at the mercy Of the money
lender.
The contingent fund item furnishes Il
subject for investigation. If this large
sum of money has been distracted from
the city treasury without proper account
ability the parties should be brought to
the bar Of Justice.
The people admire Judge Noonan be-
cause they believe, with Short Stops"
in his incOrruptible integrity: his charge
Judge is unsOphisticated. about some
things that are plain to outsiders.
He passes over the late election with
out comment, ignores the court house
job, the Arkansas Pass investigation, and
has nothing to say about the public Off
Gals, but when it comes 10 the sports and
the show people the judge is in his ele-
ment, particularly the theatre business.
The Judge called particular attention
to the law bearing on disorderly houses,
and explained TO the jury what made a
diSOrderly house, the prominent feature
being the presence of Semi-nude females.
X
1t shows that the Judge sci dom visits
the Grand opera house, or he would be
better posted. Leg shows are now per-
miSSabIe in all places of amusement, and
while 'CoTinne" was purely "a leg exhibit
ton. our best people went to see it. But,
Judge, these girls wear tights, they are
not semi nude" 1t would never DO for
our sOod Judge to visit an art gallery.
The fact is. our disOrderly house law
has been badly twisted to make it in
clude variety shows. and to leave out
regular opera houses. The variety show
furnishes cheap pastime and amusement
to hundreds Of people who have no place
else to 60. Our city furnishes no open
doors to the mass of strangers, were,
except the saloons, outside the gambling
houses and show places.
If the Judge, who is 4 kind hearted,
good christian. wants to cut down a
standing evil, he should apply his AK at
the butt of the tree and not at the twiggS
and branches. otherwise the tree Will put
forth new leaves and grow more vigor-
ouSly. First open the doors 10 a better
life, break down the barriers of society,"
make the exit from the leg show to bet
ter existence possible before you close the
show doors, and cast those who make a
living, earn bread and clothing, by fur
niShing amusement to the common pub
lie into the street. or fill our jail with
unforUunateS to become a burden upon
the taxpayers,
In regard to gambling the Judge must
know. that it is the public goose that lays
golden eggs for the entire machinery OF
his court; thai it does not need the in
tervcnriUn Of Il grand jury to shut up all
open Places that the order OF the sheriff
is sufficient: but when that is done the
real evil finds shelter in private quarters,
right in the center of society. beyond the
| reach Of society.
7 mere is no use to hop on to the sport
| ing fraternity. or the poor women. as
| long as grand jurieS are impOtcnt to deal
| with crime III high circles, and as long as
| courts are obliviOuS to indictments found
| against men in higher places; Justice be-
| comes a farce, more unenduraOle than
the 'Seminude' show as social evil.
| This is a season of charity and good
| cheer: society should be no more jealOu.
of its virtue than liberal with its charity
If evils exist they have a cause.-the
cause is beyond the puerile legislation o
a Texas legislature or the charge of OuI
good Judge.
| If our legislature would blot out the H.
liberal legislation now on our statute
book, and pass an act reducing the in
| comes OF all officials to legitimate salaries
and a one tern service in office. lon
step towards reform would be taken.
Let the grand jury quash this subiect,-
| If they can