The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-06
TACoMAss prHr DILEMMA.
some People Would Fay Old Warrants,
Others tsurv>rus f.xp~n-s~.


tacoma. June A--Sreclsi.--Fcr thgce
hours the judiciary committee OF ths
courcii discussed the Harris ordinances
for tnaaclnr the city. and NJ the end of
q scnsevh hat stormy session II was decided
10 snake no report whatever 10 the cauu-
ell al its regular sessson tomorrow. Comp
trSi3vr l. V. henharn. Treasurer W. A.
Sserneerg. Walter Christian. attorney
for the plaintiff In the ksdemiller suit.
and +. II. Nash. an sstorney. were pres
ent throughout the meeting or the come
msttse.
if the session Of the committee was pro-
daetsVe OF no results as far ne action ca
the Harris ordinances Is concerned. it
brought out In strong relief the tact that
there exists in the present city asifrinls-
sration a serious breach. caused ny dif-
ference ol orinian IS to the best course
10 be pursued 60 guide the city safely
through the financial whirlpool ahead.
ON one side stand City Attorney John +.
Judson. Mayer Fawcett and nearly IL nce
quite a ma iorisy OF the council. Theas
fasor any legitimate means whereby tho
city viii he enahled 10 Sleet the urgent
and pressing demands. Of its employees
au3 local creditors. On the other sida
are arrayed City Comptroller HenhArn.
City Treasurer sternhcrg and half or
nearly half OF the members Of tho city
council. These heiicve that the citya
first duty Is to pay the holders of tho oas-
standing general fund warrants. and that
IL should undertake nothing until these
are provided FOR. The controversy IL
therefore resolved into the question.
shall the city apply Its current revenues
TO the payment of the monthly salaries
of It's employees and the bills for fuel and
supplies. or shalt IL increase the bonded
debt 50 that the Eastern holders OF gen.
eral fund warrants shall receive bonds in
exchange for the warrants they hotdT'
counclimen Warner. tIiee. Chandler.
Bell. stevens and Parker agree with
Treasurer Sternh~rg In his statement
made today bafcfe the committee. that
the city should pursue an honest COURSE
with regard to It's Eastern creditors. and
pay. or provide for the payment of, tho
outstanding warrant Indebtedness before
anything else Is done. Councilman Har-
rts. City Attorney Judson and half Of the
city councilmen believe that II II can pcs-
slbiy he done the current revenues should
so TO the employees who have had no sai-
aries since November l last. and who are.
becoming dissatisfied with tho present
order OF things.
city Attorney Judson takes . radical
position In the controversy. In his opinkm
read to tho committee to-day. he cast
severe reflections on Comptroller Beuham
for the stand he has taken In the matter.
Mr.. Judson said: The difficulty lies prtn-
cipaiiy In the cqmpirolIers office. lie re-
fuses TO audit and adjust the claims foe
salaries. upon the ground that the outs
standing Indebtedness OF the city il now
beyond the constitutional limit. Until thu
comptroller audits and adjusts these
claims, the council cannot order warrants
drawn for their payment"
The city attorney then quoted sections
ioi and ios OF the city charter. governing
the duties Of tho comptroller. and stated
that Mr. Benham IL In error when he cites
the charter provision as the reason for his
action. Continuing. Mr.. Judson gave Il
as bis opinion that tho comptroller eTrs
when he assumes that the outstanding
warrants are valid. Said he: "if the
comptroller will take the trouble to sxRnl-
ine the receipts in the treasurer's ofhcs
he will find the receipts of the persons
TO whom nlne-tenths of the warrants wers
issued during the Boggs administration,
acknowledging payment In full. by the
city. OF the amount due on said warrants.
The fact that those warrants. after being
so paid, were sold by Boggs. does not re-
store the life and validity OF the warrants,
which was absolutely destroyed when the
warrants were paid In full. These war
rants, and those issued beyond the con-
stitationd limit, should never be allowed
to stand in the way when we are deyissne
ways and means to pay the employees
of the city, Mr.. Ju9son ended his opin-
ION Ds resnnhffsthatuk tHat tue cooticb
enact an ordinance compelling the comp
froller TO perform his dusiea under the
charter"
When asked to make statement in
reply to the city attorney, Comptroiler
Benham merely said that he had no apol3s
Eies to offer for the course he had pursued:
that he had procured the advice of eminene
counsel. and believed that his position was
she correct one. Treasurer Sternberg also
intimated that he had consulted attorneys
outside of the city hall. and preferred Ia
abide by their advice than 10 follow the
policy outlined by The city attorney.
IL was finally decided 10 hold the ordi-
nanccs In aheysnce TIL the warrant sitting
committee OF fifteen reports. Councilman
Harris characterized this an holding a
valuation club over the heads of the city
employees and creditors. Thus the matter
stands,