The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-27
HOW THINGS LOOK NOW
There Will Be Much for the Incoming
Z Administration to Do
REFORM THE WATcHWORD
An Expensive Policy Has Been In
duiged Too Long. and Nowit
IL Proposed to Practice
Retrenchment.

MIssouLA, April 26.-As the fiscal year
of the city draws to q close, the various
municipal officers are busy preparing
their reports and these documents con.
tain much that IL of interest to citizens in
general. Tho sentiment in favor of re-
trenchment and reform is still strong and
will probably be much stronger when the
financial statement is made public. 1t ID
not yet complete, but 1t is estimated that
the municipal expenses for the past year
will reach close upon 5000. while the
city's revenue has been more than $40, 900
below this figure. This state OF affairs
certainly calls for retrenchment with q
big and there will be of necessity par
ing down in all quarters. There lie o big
leakage somewhere, as the physical con-
dition OF the city gives no evidence that
the streets and alleys OF the town have
been extravagantly treated and the moral
condition does not indicate that the police
department has worked out the de-
ficiency.
The red balance on the books of the city
is not attributable solely to the retiring
administration. II 10 the result of the too
long continuance of an expensive policy,
which was haugurated several years ago.
But no city can prosper with such enor-
nous expenses and SO few visible returns
for the outlay. II there were not miles of
city streets that are well-nigh impossible
because OF the loose stones and debris
that has accumulated in them and IL the
sidewalks and crosswalks were in good
condition, there might BIO some excuse for
the deficiency In the city treasury. But
with streets so rough that riding over them
is an agony and with pitfalls in the walks
and nd nit %
neglect, there is no good reason why the
shortage should exist.
II is not an agreeable task that con-
fronts the incoming administration and
there will be many unpleasant duties de-
volve upon IL. Economy is necessary and
the economical pills that will be admins
tered may not be pleasant to take in
every instance, but the results of the adj
ministering of this spring medicine will
certainly be satisfactory. Tho claim that
the democrats are responsible for the pres
ent necessity of purgng is not borne out
by facts. For year the republicans have
held the majority of the Offices in the
city and there has been absolutely no re-
trenchment. What tho city needs is a
government with no strings on il and with
no political debts to pay. That is what
the citizens who elected the incoming adj
ministration claim that they have given
the city and If the results .show that this
claim is well founded, the city of Missoula
viii owe a debt of gratitude to these men.
With all unnecessary expen ses cut of,
with the street work done, as IL ought to
be, by Migrants who have been living ut
the city's expense without giving any
recompense. with the city team doing
work enough 10 support ii, and n police
system as small as IL is consistent with
efficiency, there will be some opportunity
for the balance TO switch the other way.
That is what the people want and that is
what they expect from the citizens adj
ministration. The retrenchment policy
may not be acceptable to everybody-it
probably will not-but it will be good
medicine.