Evening journal., 1895-06-07
IN RE ETRENCHMENT.
Democratic CouHcilmen Start
New Ball Rolling.
DEFEAT A SALARY RAISING BILL
Tho City Solicitor WIN Have to worry
Along on the Same Old ssIary-only
Two Members Vote In Favor OF an In-
orease-Had the Republicans won How
Different would Have Besn the story.

AN" AoHbetH ohe ~ H&fnF OF an H.
orease-Haa the Republicans won How
Different would Have Besn the story.
An OF the members OF City Council
were present last evening but Mr.
Meaney although there seemed to be
little animation, among those especially
whose time Is nearing the end, On Mr.
Staatss desk were two handsome
bouquets, one bearing combination tag
In which big s was the most prominent
figure.
After roll call and reading OF the
minutes, Mr. Wainwright handed up,
from the Law Committee, two ordinances,
which were reported sll right One was
that increasing the penalty for Indecent
exposure Of persons from $40 TO 800, and
this was later passed and sent to the
mayor The other was to increase the
salary Of the city solicitor from 81 200 to
81 600 For a few minutes It looked as
though this would 20 through, but when
the vote was taken the castle was in
ruins
Mr.. McNulty fred the FIRST shot. He
said: 'At the last meeting the majority
Of this Council fixed the tax rate at 81. 40
reduction from last year. Now the Il
nance committee recommends the increase
Of the salary OF city cflicIal $500 The tax
rate is inadequate TO raise the amount
which will be required for the running
expenses Of the city.
'Lastr Winter The Council decided 10
raise the salaries Of the two assistant
city engineers only $500 apiece The
mayor saw it 10 turn them down and
veto the bill, on the ground that It was a
poor time to add to expenses Ii It WAS
then It is poorer now The out going
Council viii leave numerous bills for the
new Council 30 pay and we should not
increase any salaries now
Mr.. Smith said. II am astonlshed
that the present city solicitor should
endeavor TO press this ordinance on this
body, When the candidate of his party
accepted the nomination he knew per-
fectly we'll the salary attached, spent
his money to secure tho nomination and
there Is a fair suspicion that his friends
polluted the ballot boxes TO. secure his
election
Now the present city solicitor tries
to push this extra burden on the incom-
ing Council What his object Is | don't
know unless 1t Is to force us into deeper
bankruptcy. ! hope the ordinance will
not pass
Mr. Ratledgs said II have always
believed that the laborer is worthy Of
his hire. AS has been said we tried to
enlarge the poorly paid engineers, but
the mayor vetoed the ordinance on the
plea that II WAS a poor time to Increase
salaries Now the city solicitor Is not
confined TO bis office but can attend e.
other business. l am not favorable 10
this Increase There may be pleaty oi
bills left over, but none OF them are fol
printing and advertising. There are
sufficient funds to pay all these
Mr. O'Nelll said ut Is needless for me
to say very much know the clty
solicitor Is not paid for his duties as he
should be. II would be but 5000 more
than the meat inspector. But this Is nc
time to burden the tax payers heavier.
We can manage 20 wait till finances are
better and then give better salaries. II
Is to the interest Of tax payers to vote
against It, not because the salary is large
enough but because the burden is large
enough"
Mr. Wainwright.-"The city solicitor 1,
as poorly paid office as any in the city.
| know what his work is He has 10 bs
ia attendance on the Municipal Court be
Is the attorney Of every Council commit
tee, and OF every city department, and be
is called on every day by one or the other
Then the public generally so Il
him for information, and bis
time is taken up by the work. II woulc
be only honorable to pay him fairly for
his service When this ordinance waE
framed, some Of us thought the next
city solicitor would be a Republican.
This proved not to be and think that
what WAS good for one should be good
for another. | shall vote for IL. | think
next year win ba better financially thar
the last. The Republican party had nc
regulated matters as to insure an easy
financial year. The Democrats won and
will enjoy that ease. | shall vote fol
the incresse
Mr.. O'Neill-"A short time ago th,
Republicans were ia power and we idn'
see that they had arranged for themselve
such an easy financial year"
Mr.. Smith-"lf the lsalary OF the cit
solicitor was So inadequate IL is a wonde
TO me he didn't resign. Why the fact 4
that 1t Is very hard TO find him whel
wanted. He is either out OF town, az th
Court House or somewhere else, not oi
city business but his own. II he stayel
in his Office fair part OF the time b
might moro reasonably claim more salary
Then when there is q case In court be ha
an associate and the city has to pay. Il
Municipal Court he only has to atsy a
hour at the best
Mr.. O'Neill 81 will say that th
present city solicitor attended to hi
duty. At least ! always found MIN yer
attentive
Mr. MoNulty-"I am willing to admi
that the city solicitor does not get salar
enough. Neither does the mayor. (Hi
honor, who occupied his chair on tn
platform remarked. sotto voice. That
true as gospel But l ask, Is 1t righ
TO increase now1 hone to live to Sc
the day when we can raise en0ug
revenue to pay better salaries ! take m
stand against this or any increase nos
purely ia the interests Of my constitu
ents and as matter Of business, an
not as party measure. The beneficiary
q man Of my own party but | would voi
no no matter what his party affiliations
II we can't keep clear Of de6cienc
with tax rate OF $3.50, how can we q
81 407"
The vote was then taken and resulted
Ayes-Dannenberg. Wainwright, 2
Noes-Donohoe. Msguigan. Kirby
McNulty, O'Nell, Rstledge, Smitl
StAats Tyre Perkins TO-