St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-22

% luo D6IDOcraIlc Clty COMMITTEE,
Globe Building, st. Paul, Minn.
Slrs: The undersigned. who were re-
quested by your committee to investi-
gate the question: What, if any, re-
duction in the municipal Indebtedness
Df st. Paul has occurred since June 6.
% 2, as the result of economy practiced
by the present Republican administra-
tion ID the conduct of the city'S affairs?
} eg leave 10 submit the following re-
port:
The Republican newspapers of this
city for the past ten days have teemed
with statements to the effect that since
the present municipal administration
came into power that administration has
reduced the city debt in the SUM of
more than SS64, 900. This statement, ac-
companied by the further statement or
inference that whatever reduction i'll
the city's debt has occurred is attribut-
able to Republican economy i'll the con-
duct of public affairs, has been persist
emily repeated by Republican speakers
with such effrontery that the less in
formed among our citizens might we'll
believe them sincere and assume the
statements made to be true. The
statement with reference to the re-
duction in city Indebtedness is based
upon a statement made by Mr..
McCardy, the present Republican city
comptroller, to the chamber of COM
merce and published in the st. Paul
Dispatch OF April 13. This communica-
tion Goes not purport to contain state
ment of any reduction that has occurred
in the debt MIR. McCardy knew that a
statement that any reduction amount
ing to the sum mentioned had occ CURED
would be grossly untrue. Yet his state
ment, as published, was SO artfully
worded as to mislead the average reader
into the belief that the payments men-
toned in the statement had resulted in
a corresponding reduction of debt, and,
as we have said. Republican papers
and speakers have persistently SO stated,
attrlbuting this result to the econom-
ical administration of the city's affairs
by the present, so-called, reform ad-
ministratlon.
What are the facts?
1. To begin with, since June 6, 1892.
the day upon which the city government
was turned over to the present Repub-
lican administration, net reduction in
the city's debt has occurred to the ex-
tent of S153, ,69O.30 only. Here are the
figures:
June 6, 1892, the aggregate
city debt Gncluding judg-
ments) was. $1l, 20. .S91 So
April 10, 1894, it was Qike-
wise including Judg-
ments). *11 ,04S pol %
These figures, like all those we shall
give upon this subject, nave been taken
from the records of the city comptroll-
er's Office.
So the Republicans are lying in re.
spect of this matter to the extent of just
S71O,647.92-a good round lie and worthy
of its parentage.
What the Republican administration
has done is In substance this: It has
taken money already in the treasury
(whence it was derived we shall show
} later on) and with it has paid maturing
bonds and certificates Of indebtedness
and then, to supply the money necessary
to meet the ordinary charges upon tht
city treasury. including current inter
est, has issued tax levy certificates Gl
effect short time notes of the city,
thereby running the city into deb
again. In some instances tax levy
certificates Ghese amount II
the aggregate to $272,000) have
been issued for the express purpose O.
obtaining money to take up maturing
certificates of Indebtedness. Indeed
when Mr.. McCardy said, as he did, tina
the present administration had paid of
s626.52 81 of certificates, he included
s272, GOO of certificates which, in prac
tical effect, had been directly renewed