The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-27
LET THE COUNCIL ACT.


There has been very strong expression
throughout the State in favor of the ap-
propriatiOn, and no doubt public senti-
ment would approve it. but, unfortu-
nately. there is just enough opposition
to justify a majority of the Legislature
in taking ground against it and in adj
vertising to the world Indiana's lack Of
sympathy with the surviving veterans
of the war.
As it is almost certain that the city
will have to carry the entire burden of
providing for the encampment, it be-
hooves the Council to take prompt
action under the act authorizing the
city to appropriate $4,000 for the pur-
pose. All the arguments in favor of
State appropriation apply with added
force in favor of an appropriation by
the city. The question has reached a
point where it is necessary to raise the
requisite funds to handle the encamp-
ment in order to save the State and
city from disgrace. We all worked hard
to get the encampment here, making
largo promises of liberal treatment and
open hospitality. This city was selected
In preference to others which were seek
ing the honor. on account of its acces
sible location and the assurance that it
encampment in an entirely salts
factory manner. If it should fail
at the threshold and have to
make public confession of its inability
to raise the necessary funds, it would
never recover from the disgrace. This
must not be. and will not be if the
Council does its duty.
An appropriation by the Council is
the fairest way of raising the greater
part of what will be needed for the en-
campment. There will be a consider
able sum needed beside the appropria-
ton, and this will have to be raised by
individual subscription. But, in addi-
ton tosthe liberal and public-spirited
citizens who will thus voluntarily con-
tribute, there will be very large num-
Der who will not contribute anything
and who can only be reached by a gen.
eral levy. BY this means, also, many
corporations will be reached and COM
PEELED to pay their share, which other
wise would contribute nothing. The
niggardly rich man will have to con-
tribute according to his wealth and the
public-spirited poor man according to
his poverty. but none out of proportion
| to his neighbOr. The total levy would
be 7l2 cents on each 500 of the assess
ment, and it would extend over two
years. making cents one year and
3l2 the next. Thus man whose prop
erty was assessed at $1,000 would pay
rs cents, q man assessed at $4,000
would pay $3.50, and so on, and
these payments would be extended
over two years. Nothing could be
more equitable than this, and under
the proposed method of collection the
tax would not be felt by anybody.
There is no other way in which every
| person can be reached and required to
| do his share. And the burden. such as
it is, ought to be borne by all the peo-
| pie, since the benefits of the encamp-
ment will inure to all. In the first place,
| the moral benefit to the city i'll the way
| of favorable advertisement, if the en-
| campment is we'll handled, will inure to
| the benefit of every property holder and
taxpayer. Whatever advances the city
promotes the interest of every citizen.
| The smallest taxpayer in the city, as
| we'll as the largest, will share in what
| ever moral benefit it derives from lib
eral action in this matter. So, too, the
direct money benefit will be distributed
among all classes. If 100000 people
| visit the city during the encampment
and spend here an average of $40 each.
there will be s., 900, 900 thrown suddenly
into the channels of local circulation.
This will stimulate trade and benefit all
classes of citizens. Thus, the pecuniary
| as we'll as the moral benefits of the en-
campment will be generally distributed.
If the Council fail to make an appro-
priation indianapolis will occupy the
humiliating position of being the first
an appropriation and refused to do So.
Boston, Portland, Columbus, Milwaukee,
Detroit and Washington all made such
appropriations. Every one of these
cities has more wealth than Indianapo-
lis, some of them many times as much;
| yet, as a matter Of niece ssity and fair
ness. they deemed it best to make an ap-
preparation in addition to money raised
by individual subscriptions. The Coun-
Gil can hardly desire to place this city in
the position of being the first one to ask
for the encampment and then refuse to
make an appropriation for it.
The sole argument urged by the OPP
ponents of an appropriation is that it is
not right to appropriate public money
for any other than public or govern
mental purposes. This is the rule, but
all rules have exceptions. There is
hardly city in the United States that
has not, at some time or other, appro-
priated money for other than public
purposes. This city has done so more
than once, notably when it apprOpri-
ated $4,000 in aid of the sufferers by
the great Chicago fire. The entertain
ing of the National Encampment is an
exceptional event. The Grand Army OF
the Republic is itself an exceptional