The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-06
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.

new City Council on its convening today,
will be found. we believe, quite accepte-
bic to the majority OF citizens, even
though all o. the views expressed NAV
not be expected to meet with so general
approval AS the deliVety OF a citizen
who has been given the high honor OF
election TO the chief Office OF this fine
nun icirality, the expression OF an execu-
tive just crossing the threshold of the
mayoralty, the message is rather agree
able reading. II is neither bumptious nor
high faluting. 1t makes no boasts for
the future, nor does it ungraciously con-
denim the past, to straighten out which
Mayer McGUiNNEss is supposed to have
been elected. The message is conserya-
tive and deals with. the several subjects
OF Importance in a notably calmer spirit
than tEey were dealt with by the Mayor
and his party when thoss subjects were
used for campaign material For the
which we are disposed to congratulate
the Mayor on his messge as being reada-
bic, not too exciting, and altogether in.
clining us to have faith that, after olI,
the new city government at least SO far
as the Mayor is concerned, is not going
to make city hall tremble on its founda-
tiops or cause the town to quake beneath
the too strident march OF reform.
His Honor makes the question of free
transfer tickets the subject OF his lead
ing article, pleading, not without justif-
cation, that every citizen should by some
means or another be able to get just as
much OF ride for five cents as does every
other citizen and points out what is
strictly true that the interests OF the rail-
road company in this and all matters "are
not antagonistic to those OF the city"
aud "should work in harmony with the
Council to assist in the city's progress, Z"
a. it has notably done in the past, we
believe His Honor would admit, now that
forth "rapid, frequent and cheap means
OF transit for our citizens between the
different parts OF the city is absolutely
essential to its proys- growth and devel-
opment," and we feel that Mayor Nc
GUINNESS does not lose sight Of the
very apparent fact that no city In the
world can have enjoyed in The same brief
time so extraordinary a development, in
point of rapidity, frequency and cheap
ness in means OF transit, as has been the
fortune of the citizens of Providence
since the Union Railroad Company was
given franchise under which 1t could
60 ahead and do business according to
a lo;A D. a he
The Mayor tackles the ever troublesome
tax question with the enthusiasm Of new
ness to the subject. There is touch OF
HENRY GEORGE in the proposition to
place higher valuation "upon the large
tracts of vacant land scattered about the
city, so that the owners shall either I'm.
prove them or sell them in order that
they may be improved by Others, and
thus not only make a more equalizing
such tracts OF land benefit to the city
treasury" And the proposition to look
more closely after personal property for
the purposes OF taxation, while COM
mcndable, is accompanied by no sugges.
tion as to how il shall be ''got after, 4"
except that the Mayor would tax personal
property where that property is, instead
OF where the owner thereof resides. His
Honor still prctends TO believe that our
city debt is unduly large, although the
city treasurerscould have told him better,
but he may be pardoned this delusion so
long as ii leads him TO promise TO use bis
"utmost endesvors to prevent all extra
vogance in the management OF the affairs