St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-17

The Chamber OF Commerce a Re.
publican Political Machine.
At the chamber of commerce meeting
yesterday morning the question of city
expenses came up OH partial report
from Mr.. Merwin, from the committee
ON taxes, to whom was referred some
time ago the resolution of Mr.. Dorr,
asking for a detailed statement of the
receipts aud disbursements of city aud
county, the number Of persons en-
ployed. the amount of money received
by each as salaries or in fees, and a
statement of fees received.
MIR. Merwin intimated that informa-
lion had been reluctantly given in some
instances in the county offices, and
practically denied in others-at any
rate. the committee had been unable to
obtain it In the limited time the body
had been able to give to the matter, and
it could not be obtained unless the COM
mittee took the time to make up the
statement from the records, instead OF
obtaining summaries from the officers
who could give it. In these all-absOrb-
ing political times he did not see how
devote attention to public duties that
might require an hour or two OCCASION
ally.
Mr.. Stevens moved resolution
authorizing the committee to ask In the
name OF the chamber for the informa-
ton desired, and did not believe there
would be any failure to respond.
MIR. Lightner said so far as the in
formation i'll regard to city affairs, all
that is asked is published aud has been
covering every item for the past five
years. His remarks grew into a COLO
guy between himself and Murray, in
which Murray assumed that the
burdens of the city had been increased
during the present administration; that
the present city government issued GER
tlficates of Indebtedness for current ex-
penses, took up the certificates and
called that paying the debt. If they
had paid sS64.OOO debt he desired to
know where the money came from and
alleged that there was no tax levy for
the purpose of paying it; that they had
not paid legitimate outstanding debt,
but that they had used balances of funds
tucy iOuHu III the treasury when they
came in. and then issued certificates of
Indebtedness where they ought to have
paid the money. MIR. Lightner respond
ed that they had not reduced the tax,
but claimed they had reduced the debt
million where under the same tax levy
the former administration had increased
the debt. MIR. Murray declared that
seven-elghths OF the ten million debt
had been recommended by the chamber.
Propositions to bond the city for mill
ions would be passed almost without
stopping to wink. while poor Ste
nographer'S bill for S25 would require
three or four months investigation be-
fore they would authorize its payment.
In view of the cOmmOtiOn caused and
the lntereStseXpressed as several others
participated, MIR. Merwin said he would
obtain the information desired. He ex-
planned that he was not responsible for
giving the McCardy statement to the
newspapers under circumstances which
made 1t look like statement to the pa
pers Instead of to the chamber. That
statement was only in part what was
desired for the purposes of his report.
. Fitch Bros. u Co. ask the chamber to
assist III regulating the matter of trans.
fefS at the stOckyards, alleging that cat
itle coming in from long distances are
frequently left eight to twelve hours on
the tracks. and that business is driven
to ether points by this treatment.
Register TO(layA9 a. m: tn q n m