The Progress., 1894-02-03

LCtI NdS llh5N lSS, vi O~0'IoIOho, S"'4oNt
on to show attention to visitors which
would cost him something.
Under the present suggestions this
Office is now considered an honorary
one. and we feel safe in the state
ment that there are q number of
competent gentlemen who will will
lingIy accept the trust, under that
condition, for the salary named. La
fact we are not prepared to say that
the present incumbent, man Of am
bition, will refuse to graciously yield
to public demand, and himself labor
for the adoption of the amendments
and remain mayor, at the decreased
salary. We know he once offered
for it at a salary of 5000 per annum,
and we can see no reason for his re-
fusal at the advance of 50 per cent.
The fourth amendment provides
that all fines collected in the mayors
court, shall be turned over to the
treasurer of the school board, to be
used for rents. repairs and buildings
of the public schools Of the city. This
will accomplish two purposes.
First.-It will raise a very muniti
cen sum for public school buildings
which will enable Us, in a few years,
to build such an editice for that pur
pose as will be the pride of the sur
rounding country, making it monu-
ment to the enterprise and enljght-
ment of our people
Secondly-This fund, having been
diverted from the general fund, will
cause the police to lose interest in
raking the town, from center to Cir
conference with fine tooth comb to
find persons against whom to lodge
complaint, (by information received
in a manner so indefinite that a
''Philidelphia lawer" could make no
sense out of it), or otherwise, in order
to give the appearance that they are
earning their salaries. They would
then have no Incentive to make
wholesale arrests, Oh fimsy charges,
2 and the people would have some
3 rights, which up to the present
l neither the patrolmen nor the mayor,
r have respected.
The fifth amendment enables the
! city council to pay the controller a
Q less salary than $4,000 per annum,
Q which they are unable to do now,
that sum being fixed by their charter.
t This was adopted because We may
9 not always have so competent and re-
: liable gentleman as the present in
It cumbent, Mr.. N. B. Murff, and when
s that is the case, we do not want to be
t forced to pay him as much. Again
e our finances may run so low that the
: city cannot afford to pay controller
d that sum, and when one Of these con-
n tingences does arrive, we want to be
4 able to curtail expenses to meet the
C demands of the depleted treasury.
II The sixth amendment makes i
E possible to pay the street commits
st sioner as much as one hundred dol
lars per month, optional with the
s council.
g The time may arrive when We viii
% lave much largersums for our publ
II, streets, when that time does come
II we hope Randall will not be chair
10 man Of the improvement committee
IL or when we'get to be much large
'g city, which will naturally deman
ID considerably more attention, then W
ne want to be able to pay an amour
81 sufficient to secure such man as Nj
James Keeney, who has given sue
or universal satisfaction. Both he an
on Mr.. Murff are two officials whom til
he people have the fullest confidence IL
ed These amendments should
,le weighed from the positionEof the I'll
lat selfish citizen, whose first aim is
fit promote the general welfare, an
er- taken from that standpoint, we al
,rs unable to see how any one can r
Ills frain from lending his influence
he their adoption.
"a. The next step now is to secure til
for signatures of two-thirds of the res
Md dent city taxpayers to a petition as
to. ing the city council to order
oe- election, then a majority of the vot
as of The qualified electors cast IN taV
L.