The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-04-13

SOOH ony HCdoOH Why any OHc suOulU
regret the adoption of the State law
governing cities of the third class.
The following are some of the re-
suits of our labor:
The ordinances have been revived
and many new ones enacted. the stock
law passed and enforced, the new
electric light plant established, the
water works plant established, the
street car line established, a number
of streets improved. the city scales
moved, a number of much needed
sidewalks built, an entrance to the
city park on the north side purchased
and partly improved, together with
many other improvements. All this
has been done in a very short time,
and this without the levy of any adj
ditional taxation, except in the shape
of an ~avocation license. Who pays
this license? does the poor laborers Of
the town? No sir, those pay it who
are perfectly able to pay it, and then,
the money is paid out to labor for
improvements, who pays for the i'm
provement of Main, Spanish, Good
hope, Sprigg and Broadway streets,
that has heretofore received nearly
all of the money collected for the
general revenue fund? does the tax
payers on the back streets that have
been paying taxes for years and never
received one dollar benefit for it?
No sir, the owners of the property
abutting on these improved streets
who receive the benefits, pay for it.
some of them do not like it, they have
received the benefits of all the tax
payers money for years and nowonder
they dislike to give it up.
The taxpayers have been told they
would be ruined by excessive taxes
on account of establishing water works
and electic lights, let me state in
answer to this, it will depend on who
you entrust with the manipulation of
your municipal affairs. If the plan
now laid out, is carried out, and the
taxes now levied, are collected, it will
never be necessary to raise more
revenue than is now provided for. to
meet the present demands.
While all this Improvement has been
made, we havehad a~poorshow. Atfirst
we were hampered with a broken Cen
eral Revenue Fund, having at the be-
ginning of my administration, in that
fund, only $685. So, we had to draft
and pass ordinances and wait until
they took effect before we could make
a start, in order to get funds, right
here, l want it understood, 1 do not
blame any former administration, for
l know how they were always short of
funds under the old charter, and at
the same time people clamoring for
work and improvements, and in order
to meet the demands, they had to bor-
row from one fund to another in order
to fulfill their Obligations. At the be-
ginning we had to borrow Sl5OO,OO
from other funds to carry on the
business, but I am glad toinform you,
with your help and management,
every dollar of that has been return
ed to the funds from which it was
taken. there was s5OO.O 90 lately trans
ferred from the wharf fund to the
general revenue fund that has not
been returned, and we now leave to
u successors 1856, 64f in the Gener-
al Revenue Fund as shown by the
Auditors report for the month of
March.
REDEMPTION OF BONDS.
congratulate you that in the past
two years the Council has been able
to call and redeem nine thousand dol
lars of its bonded Indebtedness,
$500. 90 of which have been Cancelled
in open board, there still remains one
5000 O Funding Bond out yet, that
was called and the interest stopped on
March 10Th 1895.
Our debtshould decrese rapidly from
this time forward, as much as the
amount of the collecting for the sinking
funds, together with the surplus in the
interest funds, for the reason there
are bonds subject to call now, and
will be at short intervals for the
next fifteen years.
DELINQUENT TAXES.
The delinquent taxes as shown by
the city books OF May first 1891,
amounted to $40, u.s. SO the delinquent
taxes as reported tome blythe Collector
on April 8, 81 amounts to $40. 1899
showing a decrease of $3.50. Is, At the
settlement made between the collector,
and Mayor and Council, fordelinquent
taxes in May 1893. there vas s779.39
of worthless delinquent taxes stricken
from the tax books, which makes u
assets just that much less, and makes
a statement of liabilities and assets
show to our disadvantage.
LIABILITIES OF THE CITY.
The Liabilities of the city May lst
1891 amounted to So. 556,03,