San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-03
GAFFS AND SLASHERS.

TBY OUR SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
The Houston Age says "the Dud-
ley ticket wipes the democracy off
the political map" If that be
true every patriot in the land
should rise up and call Dudley
blessed. If Mr.. Dudley has really
accomplished what the Age credits
him with, surely he has earned the
Everlasting gratitude of the Ameri-
can people. All hail Dudley!
An opin on prevails in some quar-
tiers here in San Antonio that Engi-
neer Gray is the long sought for
north pole, alleged to have been
discovered by DR.. Nansen. In any
event, 1t Is contented that an over
coat Is an indispensable nee essity
when in proximity to Mr.. Gray's
presence.
An exchange pittily remarks
that Maher secured the champio
ship belt without fighting for it,
and as suddenly lost it for the
same reason.
In making up the annual budget
the mayor and council specifically
set aside certain sums for the pay
ment Of the police, for the payment
of the firemen, for the payment of
the teachers, for,,payment of news
papers, etc. Now, has the mayor
and council the right or authority
to divert these specific or special
funds to other purposes than those
designated? Clearly under the
charter they have not, and no legal
or valid reason can be advanced
why the employees of the respective
departments should not promptly
receive their salaries when due.
Every dollar of general revenue
collected is pledged to meet sour
rent" expenses, not to provide for
the payment of past due obliga-
tions or meet the expense OF subse-
quently provided-for improve
ments, whether Of temporary or
| p6Tludu6ub uhbuT6.
The citizens public improve
ments committee has large sized
job, cut out for itself. The earnest
wish of the taxpayers is that the
members will slight no part of it.
| x
Secretary Olney appears to have
supplanted Hon. John l.. Sullivan
in the affections of Boston as
"favorite son." 1t is Mr.. Sullivan's
misfortune that the bean-eaters
vote "culchaw" higher than they
do blue blood.
The welcome intelligence is an
nounced that negotiations are
pending which promise TO culmi.
nate in a satisfactory settlement of
the troubles and embarrassment
which have hampered and we'll
nigh ruined the Gulf Shore rail-
way enterprise. Any settlement
which will restore the manage
ment and control of the property
to its rightful owners will be
hailed by the public with lively
satisfaction.
With a hope born doubtless Of
desire to detract public attention
from their own shortcomings, in
terested parties have sought to
connect a paragraph which re.
Gently appeared in this column as
having reference to City Attorney
Minor. The paragraph was in the
nature OF an inquiry as to the re-
suits OF the "back tax collectors"
efforts to earn the $1,000 or $1,000
paid him in the way of salary, fees
and perquisites. The city attorney
is paid $1,000 a year, and draws
neither fees nor perquisites, and
consequently the paragraph could
have had no reference to him.
Now, in fact, did the writer have
In view any personal reference?
The "back tax collector" as with
any other individual, could hardly
be censured for accepting all the
salary, fees and perquisites which
could be extracted under the terms
of his agreement. What was in
tended by the publication of the
paragraph was to call public atten-
tion to the utterly careless, reckless
and incompetent, not to say illegal
methods, which prevail with the
administration in a futile effort to
accomplish that which should be
accomplished through the regular
and legitimate channels provided
by the charter and ordinances Of
the citv.