St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-30

WHY, Sdlo NIL. lie CdH
answer any question you put to him
in any way he wants to-
Col. Clough-I apprehend, Mr..
Horr, that the committee wants spe-
cific statements. Will you kindly
come down to details?
In response to this hint Mr.. Horr
remarked that Secretary Caulfield's
salary of $4,000 year was too large.
Then he proceeded to show that
water frontage tax was unequal tax
alton. The recent extensions were
mostly in front of cheap property,
and the result would be that this
kind Of taxation would amount to
confiscation.
Mr.. Horr submitted the following
recommendations in the line of re-
ducing expenses:
First-Abolish the water frontage
tax.
Second-Save on the city lighting.
Thtrd-Abolish the board of pub
lie works.
Fourth-Abolish the office of build
ing inspector and transfer the work
W SAiC SlSy ClISl L..
Fifth-Abolish the. water board
| and let the collections of water rents
be transferred to the county treas
urer, and appoint superintendent
of water works, or let the city en-
gineer act as such.
Sixth-Reduce the number of Off
GERS on the police force; with a more
al inin
quired.
Seventh-Reduce the high salar-
les; don't reduce the 1aborer's wages
unless absolutely necessary. ro-
Eighth-Have the cash on hand
before letting contracts. The cash
basis will save at least 25 per cent
on contracts.
Ninth-Adopt the free text book
system in the public schools, and
eliminate the non-essentials; after
the first year it will save so per cent.
Mr.. Horr then proceeded to justify
the foregoing recommendations. Re-
gardfng the board Of public warks.
Mr. Horr thought that, inasmuch as
the council is finally held response
BILE, it ought to do the work. and
therefore the board should be aboI-
ished. He also gave his estimates
of the salaries that should be paid
to certain city officials. He thought
that $4,000 year was a large enough
salary for the city treasurer and
$2,OO0 year ample compensation
for the city clerk. AS to the city
comptroller, Mr.. Horr was of the
opinion that that official, if compe-
tent, ought to receive more than
the city clerk. The present salary
$3,5OO-was not excessive in his opin-
ion. AS Mr.. Horr had no more de-
tails to offer, the committee called
upon another taxpayer, Capt Bell,
and asked for his views.
Capt. Bell spoke on the subject of
taxation. He considered that his prop
erty was too highly assessed, especially
| certain lots on Dayton avenue, and
cited figures to demonstrate it. Col
Clough revolved the figures in his
mind a few seconds and discovered
that after all, Capt Bells Dayton ave-
nue. property was yielding him a net
income of 2A per cent
Asked if he wished to- saw ANYTHING
further, Capt. Bell answered.: eyes. I
have one thing more to say, and that
Is that you, Mr.. Chairman, and the
committee, are entitled to the praise
of every tax payer in this city,
City Comptroller McCardy was then
asked, in view of the statements that
the comptroller did not report the con-
dition of the various funds to the coun-
Gil. whether tho la w III.
make such reports. In answer, Comp
troller McCardy quoted the provision
of the code of '93, requiring him to
make such reports every month. and
added that he complied with the pro-
vision. The comptroller then made the
following recommendation in the in
tereSt of economy:
Several departments in the city and
county governments ought to be con-
solidated: for instance, that of the cor
oner and health department. In the
city government, the fire and police tel
egraph systems should be consolidated.
The comptroller favored the consoli-
dation of the city engineers depart
ment board of public works and coun- 4
ty surveyors office under one head
with the city engineer at the head.
done by the board of public works.
The comptroller disagreed with Col.
Clough in the matter Of the city's own
ing and operating plants He believed
that the city should operate it's own
lighting, water and street railway
plants. and was opposed to the cityis
granting to any company a franchise
that would give that company a right
to tax citizens. The comptroller
thought that no city department should
be charged for water.
Regarding assessments, Mr. McCardy
was strongly of the opinion that all
assessments for public improvements
should be placed on the tax duplicates
like other taxes.
Mr.. McCardy said that he disIiked to
criticise any expenditure of money in
connection with the school system, but
he was frank to say that too much |
money was being expended for "fads''
In the high school. He instanced the
mechanical and high art department, !
formerly called the manual training /
school. Mr.. McCardy said he did no.