San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-18
SHORT STOPS.
what the People are Saying.

luOI hinS, hdo Ucoh Acou "ASh ~
terest by the people. The fact that
the vice-mayor comes to the de-
fence of his administration OF the
financial affairs of the city will
cause sigh Of relief to go up from
other quarters.
The vice-mayor wants it dis
tinctly understood that he is not
the parent OF the $4,000 bond
proposition that it has evolved
from the finance committee in a
sort Of experimental way.
II they discover that it is not
likely to be voted, why, they wont
submit it to the people; but all the
same, the vice-mayor says If we
have bad streets the taxpayers will
be to blame if they fail to vote the
$4,000.
II, however, the proposition is
not submitted, how can the vice.
mayor say that the taxpayers will
be responsible-it will only be az
ter the opportunity to vote has
been offered and refused that the
taxpayers can be held responsible?
The most important portion of
the message is an explanation
of the financial condition OF the
city. The figures are furnished the
vice-mayor by the auditor. The
city has collected from the LIST Of
June to the 30th of September
S341, 772,24. OF this big sum only
SI25, 655,6S was paid out on &C.
count of the present current year.
The other items are: paid to the
treasurer for advances made prior
to June 1st to general fund. Sis, 1884,
30; to treasurer for advance to
sinking fund $11,546,S4. In other
words the city made the treasurer
whole for over drafts to the extent
Of $29, $50, 22-on salaries and light
bill prior to June 1st, $l20,794 $50;
to Alamo National bank for loans
prior to June LIST, 24,S90,O9-a
total of SIZE, 405, 81, on expenses con-
tracted before the present fiscal
year began.
Cash on hand Sept. 30th: Sink
ing fund, $35, 1912; school fund,
S4,7163 80; general fund, $3S0.70. In
other words, Notwithstanding the
fact that $34l,772.A was collected,
and 100000 voted, the city had an
empty cash box on the first Of this
But the vice-mayor sends a mes
sage Of hope and good cheer to the
weary taxpayers. He says: "If
the same economy is observed for
the balance of the fiscal year, and
I:believe it will be, the entire ex-
penditure for the year, outside Of
schools and sinking fund, will
amount to only 100000, or about
S5 per capita of our population"
This is theory, a very pretty
one, but it is not a theory. 1t is a
that confronts the city
The vice-mayor is
sues a challenge to all the cities in
the United States to show up so
good city government at S. per
capita.
We have collected already, from
the stingy tax payers on this
years taxes up to September 30,
about $4,000 and we had no
money to pay salaries for last
That's the condition, and
1t does not fit the S. per capita
theory.
The people will be delighted with
the vice-mayor's roseate view of
affairs; and look to him to bring
them through the financial troub-
les which at present seem immi-
nent.
The tax payers would willingly
vote $4,000 street bonds if they
could be made to see how it would
alleviate present conditions.
The vice-mayor also has some
thing to say about asphalt as
street material. How much as
phalt street can you build for $780,
0G0?
The vice-mayor has something
to say about the important matter
of country roads, and it is due the
honorable gentleman, that his sug-
gestions should be discussed in
cursory manner.