Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-10-10
SHELDON SAT UPON.
HIS Tax Rate Resolution
Killed, 7 to |.
WHAT BUSINESS MEN WANT
Extremely Lively Meeting OF the AS
sociation Last Night.


bottle billiards once In while OF a night
now and discuss city affairs. They ought
to have done this before. 1t is produc-
tive OF much good II carried out in the
right vein.
Quite number OF representative men
were present last evening.
| "Up stairs" shouted Mr.. Sheldon at
| S:15 and the members filed up to one OF
the bly, rooms only to find the door
| locked.
"Pretty state OF affairs, the janitor knew
all about this" said Mr.. Havers; and
Sheldon tried ell his resources on the
door, namely, three keys, but the door
wouldn't bulge. Finally a key was
fort hcoming and the meeting was opened,
| First Vice President l.. NJ. Daring in the
| chair.
| The principal matter to be discussed
was Mr.. Sheldon's resolution, tabled at
last weeks meeting, to DO all possible to
elect City Councilmen pledged to lower
taxation and to pay y-as- you go policy.
| After the resolution was read Mr.. Shell
don got up, said he would like to say
word first and then read u well prepared
paper.
| He wanted To go slow; to wait until we
could sell our bonds at less than 6 or Z
per cent before going into deeper debt;
| to have mass meetings to select representa-
tive men as a committee to look into the
finances of the city, etc; to have one AS
SCISSOR with a good salary and devote his
whole time to The business. lie didn't
blame the City Council. 1t did, he said,
what the people wanted.
| When he finished he offered a resolution
appointed Messrs. T.. l.. Freeman, II. B.
Metcslf, George Il, Newell, John +.
Adams, and George l.. Littleheld a COM
| mittee to look into the matter OF the city's
fnan ,es.
| Mr.. Metcalf started the ball a.rolling
| with statistical address. He said he
way the city is going it was leading sure
| ly to bankruptcy. 1t was only "A question
| of time when II came. The point he
wanted to make principally was that the
city should go on pay you go policy.
The plan now seemed to be to go in for
big improvements, let the future genera
tions pay for them and "damn the ex-
pense." The debt in 1876 was s33s 900;
now 1t IL over $1,000. 900. How long be-
fore we will strike a snag?
Alderman Adams told OF the fruitless
attempt to sell bonds at par.
"1hen the city's credit il impaired2" In
quired Mr.. Metcalf.
"No, sir" replied Mr.. Adams.
"But you couldn't sell your bonds at
what you thought a fair price," said Mr..
Metcalf.
Then Mr.. Adams went on TO explain
that the citys credit was all right, but II
was an embarrassing job amid the fusilade
OF questions.
"The failure to SELL said Mr.. Adams,
"was due to the stringency."
But you tried to sell before the string
ency," retorted Mr.. Metcalf
And Mr.. Adams had to admit IL.
"Do you not think" asked Mr.. Metcalf
rather holly, "tuat our credit will be i'm.
paired II we go on as we are goingH"
al do" admitted MIR. Adams, rather
crestfallen; but then he went on to speak
OF the improvements made In the city, OF
the pressure from the people to make
them, and said the money was not wasted.
"rhe trouble has been," said he, "thst
former City Councils have not had sand
enough to raise the taxation"
81 don't see much sand In the present
Council" SAID George l.. Littlefeld.
"Don't you think that we should stop
spending money until times are better?"
asked Mr.. Sheldon.
"W hat! discharge the laborers and po-
licemen!" exclaimed Adams.
eyes all OF them, or bust!" fired back
the Hustler.
Col. z. T.. Hayes said he tax rate ought
to be raised to s2, II necessary, to meet he
expenses. He said one great fault was
that the high and Main street and East
avenue improvements were not made at
one time and bonds issued, The latter
could have been sold at q low rate last
year.
Bernard T. Lennon spoke upon one OF
the "wheresses" OF Mr.. Sheldcn's resolu-
tions, which called the present rate "ex-
cessive.' Mr.. Lennon said the rate was
excessively" low. Ii should be 81, in
stead OF $50, to meet expenses. The ex-
penses were large but he would like to
know how TO lesson them.
| 'Do you Nhht Hie to tell you now 10 cut
them down." asked Mr.. Sheldon, when
MIR. Lennon finished.
eyes; sensibly," said Mr.. Lennon.
"Cut 'em down." replied Mr.. Sheldon.
Francis Pratt dramatically told OF a
widow who was now paying one. quarter
OF her gross receipts IN taxes. "Don'. for.
get this class Of people," he said.
y. NJ Carpenter said he wanted the tax
rate raised and then the people would
ele,t City CouDcilmen who wouldn't
spend 80 much money.
That's Why I want II raised, !" said Mr..
Hayes; "there ould soon be a remedy"
Mr.. Coranj said that much money was
expended "ioolishly" in this city. He had
! not iced two men with "dust pans" clean
ing streets. He thought they must have
"pul" He didn't want any park now.
George l.. LitttleHeld was IN favor OF q
"cut." IL takes all the peoples spare
money to pay their taxes. The heads Of