San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-01

A financial crisis confronts the city
administration. The past administra-
ton left its employees, officers and
might have been avoided to a great
extent.
1t is unavoidable that the city must
either anticipate its revenue derived
from taxes by borrowing money to
meet current expenses, or adopt some
such system as used by the state in
paying off it's officers and employees.
| The state draws warrants against
specified appropriations whether the
money is in the treasury or not; these
warrants are issued in series and
registered; they lack the signature of
the comptroller and as the money
comes into the treasury they are call
| ed in and paid, the comptroller put
| ting his name to the warrants making
them payable. q. .
Under this system the state has been
able to carry its creditors along with
out serious loss to them. State war
| rants so issued are readily discounted
| at the interest they would earn from
date of issue until date of payment.
Under this system the city would
do away with paydays and pay rolls;
| the city would be paying out it's money
as it accumulates instead of haording
it for special pay days. -
1t would secure the city against the
accidents of duplicate warrants be-
cause every warrant would be num-
bered and registered.
The credit of the city would be
greatly benefited by this system of is
suing warrants every month, to all of
| its creditors.
The objections to this proposition
will come mostly from the officials
1 who prefer to avoid the labor such
system might entail. Now the pO-
lice, fire, street commissioners and
public school departments, are paid
on pay rolls prepared by the heads of
these departments, instead of by indi-
| vidual warrants.
The auditor would have to issue
a hundred or more warrants, and the
treasurer would be compelled to pay
these warrants on presentation and
not as now plant himself for an hour
or so in the city hall to pay off from a
pay roll, by the wholesale.
Other creditors of the city get war
rants, no matter for how small sum,
why should not it's officers and en-
plOyes?
The pay roll system, submits the city
employee to a enormous discount, be
cause no tangible collateral is fur
nished by the city.
Sec. 225, of the city charter is the
only authority upon which the city
: can pay its debts. This section pro-
vides but one method and that is by
the drawing of warrants upon the city
treasury. The section reads: "War.
rants drawn upon the city treasury
l for payment of money shall be fol-
immediate payment" This means
1 that the mayor shall not have the au
: thOrity to draw warrants for payment
at future dates; that warrants are il
: the nature of checks upon the banks
S "And will not be received for taxes
or other dues due the city, and are no
T to be considered a circulating med
ium," in other words the city mus
-, conduct its affairs on a cash basis
u collect its taxes in cash; pay it's debti
in cash; issue no paper as a circulat
y ing medium.
t And the mayor is forbidden t,
draw warrants upon the. treasurer on
v ly under specific appropriations an,
a not beyond the amout appropriated b.
: the city council for all purposes un
S der the city government" This is
n proper limitation, otherwise it woul'
s be in the power of the mayor to draw
warrants in excess of the city's in
= come.
This section in no wise forbids tn
= drawing of warrants for current eS
II penses, making them for "immediat
payment" upon their final completio
II as in the manner adopted by tn
r state. .s
1t To keep up the monthly pay day sy'
TEN the city must anticipate its revt
re nue. by borrowing a large sum G
lie money