St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-02
THE NEXT STEP IN RETRENCH-
MFNT.

THE NEXT STEP IN RETRENCH-
Nothing has done so much to en-
courage the people of st. Paul, from the
large merchant down to the day la
borer, as the prospect Of reduction in
taxation. While part Of this Is due to
the final payment of our old floating
debt, another part Is accounted for by
reductions in the cost Of local admins
tration, the justifiable portion Of which
was reached by an inquiry made by
leading citizens and recommended and
Endorsed in report Of business men.
1T is time now that the same course
should be pursued with reference to
county affairs. 1t is true that re-
trenchment in county expenditures is
not possible by the action Of any local
authorities. 1t is true that we must
wait for the realization Of reform in
that direction upon legislative action.
But we will never have legislative &C
ton unless the people take up the mat
ter beforehand, prepare their pro-
gramme, and insist that 1t be carried
out by the men who are chosen this
fall to represent Ramsey county in the
next legislature. We have failed here
tofore to secure the most obvious and
necessary reforms for the lack Of just
such preliminary agitation. The pub
lie has said, in effect, ooh, that is
n ri p-4,f h11f do h1y no
legislature, and we'll wait until the
legislature is elected before we take 1t
up" After the members of the legis-
lature from this city and county have
majority Of them are pledged, as a
condition of their nomination or cleo
ton, to maintain untouched the pres
ent extravagant and useless form of
county government.
That has happened time after time,
and it Is going to happen again unless
the people Of st. Paul bestir themselves
now. What they need to do Is to go
through the county offices as thorough
ly as they have the city offices, by an
appointed committee, to draw up a
scheme of reform that they wish to &C
complish, and to make every candidate
nominated this fall, whether Demo-
GRAFT or Republican, subscribe to 1t and
pledge himself to work for TT before
he asks for the votes of the people.
That is the way to realize economy in
our county affairs, and there is no
other. The Globe has shown that
leaving matters stand as they do now,
at least $4,000 could be saved by cut
ting down the excessive receipts Of
county officers to a liberal salary. and
turning the balance into the public
treasury. If we add to this a prac-
teal consolidation of city and county
governments, by which all of the
county Offices, except one or two. are
abolished, and place the whole conduct
OF affairs on strict business basis,
we believe that it will be easy to strike
off $4,000 from the tax bills of this
community.
Is not that something worth doing?
Can the people Of this city complain of
their burdens If they neglect an op-
portunity so inviting? We call for
action by the commercial and business
organizations of this city to push
REFORM In the management Of Remsey
county affairs. Leave the fee system in
operation as source of revenue, if YOU
will, reduce the fees where they are
excessive, but in every case place the
officer in charge on a fair salary which
will secure both him and the public
against injustice, according as the rev.
enue Of his Office is greater or less
than proper compensation for his
duties. Put an end to the senseless
duplication of city and county offices
that now exists.
This is the plan, which, to be car
ried out, must be definitely framed
and agreed upon at an early day,
months before the representatives of
this city and county in the next legis-
lature are chosen, if we expect to OBJ
tain from that body the action which
reform. The economy in sight is SO
large, amounting to about two-thirds
as much as the entire reduction this
year Of the city tax levy, leaving out
OF account the amount improperly
taken from the school fund, that there
is no excuse for Indifference or mac
ton. If those who have been moving
for retrenchment are in earnest, and if
they are not willing to invite the re-
hecnon that they seek to reduce the
income of the Democratic of1lceholder.
but refuse to touch the fat places held
by Republicans. they will at once take
mp this matter and prepare scheme of