The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-04

Iact, the council looked upon all
these dispensary, and board, and
nursing specifications as device that
1T would enable them to make a present
OF somebody elses' money to this insti-
tuition without violating the law. They
undertook to make the gift boldly and
openly, and. ran up against the adverse
opinion of the City Solicitor, and then
thls dlspensary plan was invented to get
over that obstacle. AS matter of fact,
this second order conuemplates gift of
sl000 to the lnfrmary just as much as
the first one did. 1t lis an attempt to
accomplish by indirection what could
not be accomplished directly. 1t is ille-
gality thinly disguised. The Mayor has
given ample reason for vetoing it. as
suming that it was what it purports to
lie on it's face-an arrangement for afford
ing medical relief to the poor. The cir
cumstances surrounding it were such
as would have furnished ample justifica-
ton for the Mayor to assume that the
order.was simply device to improperly
divert $1,000 from the city treasury into
the pockets of a private corporation, and
to veto it on that ground. The Eye and
Ear Infirmary may be worthy sinsti-
tuition and be doing a good work. We
are willing to assume. that such is the
case. But there are dozen other char
liable organizations, corporations and
societies that are also worthy and doing
good work. :. There is no more reason
for the city to assist the Infrmary than
every one of the dozen others. The only
safe course, the only consistent course,
and the only legal course. if the spirit.
of the law is to be lived up to, is to
refuse them all. No doubt devices can be
invented to get gifts to all of them with
in the letter of the law. The outside of
the cup or platter can be made clean as
in this case. They all furnish something
for the poor, and the claim can be set
up in the case of everyone of them. as
in that of the Infirmary, that the city
would haveAto furnish lit if they didn't,
and so plausible claim be established
upon the city's poor appropriation.
The Mayor vetoes the fire-boat contract
on the general principles that the city
is to pay altogether too much for the
service afforded. The city now pays 500
a month and Is an hour while the boat
is in use The proposed contract in
creases the price to $3.50 month, with
the same rate per hour while in use.
The excess of cost to the city over the
old contract for five years would be
$1,000. What the company with which
the contract is contemplated furnish for
the excess of $4,000 is a new pump. which
the Mayor says will cost, all put in,
$500. Eighteen hundred dollars year
is a pretty good return for an expendi-
ture of $3500-more than so per cent.
The Mayor thinks it iss altogether too
much, and the public will. we are in
cllned to think, agree with him. The
Mayor estimates that fire boat, owned
by the city could be run at as small
yearly cost as the owners demand for
this one, and be ayaila BILE fer important
work of breaking out the harbor in the
winter. The Mayor does not, however.
at this time, recommend an appropria-
ton for new fire boat, but suggests
that the pump on the Libby can be put
in as good condition as it has been for
several years past by an expenditure of
$500, and that four new hydrants be
placed on Commercial street. This, ne
believes. will furnish satisfactory fire
protection, at much less COST than is
contemplated in the order for new
con tract. The Mayors suggestion is in
the direction of economy, without jeop-
ardizing any interest, and certainly the
condition of the city's finances demand
that no more money be spent than is
absolutely necessary.