Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-10-27

uecus. lHE EAGLE HaS great TcSpeCu
for Aid. Kent personally, and also for
his honesty and ability as a member
of the City Council, but candor COM
pels the admission that the motives
Of the Eleventh Ward statesman APP
pear to be unworthy. His action
would appear to be prompted by a
desire not only to throw a
slur upon the city administra.
tion, but also to strike a
leading and most able member of
his own party IA blow below the belt.
With this latter phase of the case
we have no interest, but with the
facts we propose TO deal briefly.
The loan. from the statement made
by Aid. Madden. the able chairman
If the Finance Committee, was made
from the banks in order that the city
might he able to meet its October
pay roll, and pay Off the bills Of small
but numerous and unfortunate con.
tractors. The reason the city was
unable to meet these demands from
its own resources Is or should be
known to Aid. Kent, who Is himself
a member Of the Finance Committee.
The city appropriations are based on
the tax levy, which is always made a
year In advance of its collection.
The money to meet current appro.
priations does not come In until q year
after those appropriations are ex.
haustcd. To meet the Indebtedness
incurred Under these appropriations
the general or standing fund has to be
drawn upon. 1t frequently happens
that this general or standing fund Is
not sufficient to cover the full amount
OF the appropriations, and u shortage
occurs about the end of the year. 10
supply the difference between the
general fund and the tax levy,
money, under those circumstances,
has been frequently borrowed from
the city banks In anticipation Of the
collection Of the tax levy. This Gus.
tom has been followed for two rea.
sons: first, In order that employees
and contractors should not be unj ust.
ly kept out Of the money due them,
and secondly, In order to protect the
city's credit or financial reputation.
This year the usual emergency oc'
Cured and the usual custom under
such circumstances was followed.
The banks accommodated the city,
and that was all there was to 1t.
Now, Aid. Kent and few strong
lunged and wild.eyed partisan.
and political fanatics In the Council
eudeavor to seize upon this simple
business transaction to make cam
paign capital against the administra
ton. In order to do this, they have
introduced a lot Of twaddle question
ing the right Of the administration
to borrow money without the sane
ton OF the City Council. They d.
not even spare the Republi
can Chairman Of the Finance
com Wittec, and In their mad anxiety
to fling mud ut the Democratic al
ministration they recklcssly be-
smirch, or endcavOr to besmirch, q
leader Of their own party. Some say
this latter piece OF work Ia dOnt
through malice aforethOught, and
with view to Republican candi'
dacies for the Mayoralty nomination
next spring; but, rs stated before,
TIE EAGLEshas nothing to do with
quarrels and intrigues among the Re-
publican leaders. We do, however,
protest against the mean and tricky
attempt to twist plain and highly
bene acial business transaction on be-
half OF the city into something beaL
ing the aspect of q shady transaction,
for more campaign purposes.
The shal!owness OF the trick has
been pretty thoroughly exposed BY
Chairman Madden OF the Finance
Committee, who, to his credit, be II
said, has repudiated and refuted the
false claims and arguments advanced
by those responsible for this attack,
and has refused to lend himself ia
such dirty little scheme to place
the city administration In a false
position. The whole episode, how
ever, has already worked mischief
and promises to work more. The
banks which advanced the loan have
since Leen clamoring for its return
Most Of it ha, been returned. but the
city Is left without the means to pay
of its October payroll, and its credit
has been injured.