St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-24

10 the Democratic City Committee.
Globe Building, st. Paul, MINI.
Slrs: The undersigned. who were re-
quested by-yeur committee to investi-
gate the question: What, if any, re-
duction in the municipal Indebtedness
of st. Paul has occurred since June G.
1892, as the result of economy practiced
by the present Republican administra-
ton ID the conduct of the city's affairs?
beg leave to 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 sS64,00O. This statement, ac-
companied by the further statement or
inference that whatever reduction in
the city's debt has occurred is attribut-
able to Republican economy in the con-
duct of public affairs, has been persist
emily repeated by Republican speakers
with such effrontery that the less i'll
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 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 Is. This communica-
ton does not purport to contain a 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 urred
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 NEIL
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,
dttrlbuting this result to the econOm-
ical administration of the city's affairs
by the present, so-called, reform ad-
ministratlOn.
What are the facts?
l. 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 $685. 690.S0 only. Here are the
figures:
June 6, 1892. the aggregate
city debt Including judy
ments) was. Sill POI 1891 So
April 10, 1894, it was Qike-
wise including Judg.
mentS). II, 04S, pol %
These figures, like all those we shall
give upon this subject. have been taken
from the records of the city comptroli-
er's Office.
So the Republicans are lying in re-
spect of this matter to the extent of lust
$7l0,647.9 ga good round lie and worthy
of its parentage.
What the Republican administration
has done is in substance this: 1t 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 the
city treasury. including current inter
est, has issued tax levy certificates lin
effect short time notes of the cityl.
thereby running the city into debt
again. In some instances tax levy
certificates (these amount i'm
the aggregate to S272,OOU) have
been issued for the express purpose of
obtaining money to take up maturing
certificates of Indebtedness. Indeed,