San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-02
BLISTERS AND TAFFY.
Written for the Light.l


Mayor Callaghan at least possesses
the virtue of consistency. He closed
his former brilliant administration
as mayor with an earnest effort to
float Il new series of bonds. and be
gins his present tenure as mayor in
a like direction. But, then, no reason
able complaint can be urged. In his
anti-election pledges, he candidly told
the taxpayers that he would treat
them in the future as he had in the
past" or words to the effect.
Fire Chief Collins has just cause to
feel proud of the vindication implied
in his selection over so many worthy
competitors. Dismissed in disgrace
by one administration for an alleged
grave and criminal offense, to be hon
Ored and rewarded by Il succeeding
one does not fall to the lot of every
man every day in the year.
In his general round up, it is hardly
probable District Attorney Levy will
overlook the policy sharks.
1t may be remarked, without in the
least violating any confidence, that
Mayor Callaghan will discover that
there is wide difference and con-
SpicuouS distinction between the per-
sonnet of the board of aldermen over
which he had the honor to preside
some few years ago and that which he
has been chosen to preside over for the
ensuing two years.
The mere fact that Mr.. Thomas b.
Johnson failed to receive majority
or even Il plurality of the votes cast
ut the recent municipal election, is
no indication that the taxpayers are
,averSe to taking "a look at the books
or are opposed to "a count of the
cash" \ request or demand to that
effect is Just as pertinent and imper,
ative as it was before the election
Lets count the cash.
Not Il single dollar should he eX,
pended in the permanent repair and
Improvement of the streets until the
sewers have been completed and house
connections effected along the entire
line. This is common sense and prac.
teal economy. 1t would be worse
than an useless waste, it would
be criminal extravaganza, to expend
thousands of dollars of the taxpayers
money to improve the streets, only to
have them in few weeks or months
torn up again to make necessary
house connections with the sewers.
Make haste slowly" is an admirable
maxim for the present city admins
tration to adopt and rlgidly adhere to.
District Attorney Lewy'S effort to
stamp out the miserable dives and
thieving dens, where citizens and
strangers alike are robbed and victim
lied. will meet with a hearty support
and endorsement by all good citizens
The threats of the batfied conSpirators
to wreak personal vengeance on Mr.
Levy will not deter him from doing
his duty. but rather serve to spur
him on to renewed effort. The tenn
per of this community will not pa
tiently endure the threats of the vic
iOuS and lawleSs nor permit them to
lnsultingly seek to intimidate honest
and conscientious officers of the law,
AS the city charter provides for the
election Vi IL EttOTueE = CIeTh. II VIII
be necessary for the board of alder.
men to provide an incumbent; but
they have the power to fix his salary.
If the new administration is really
intent upon carrying out its anti-elec-
ton pledges of retrenchment, why not
place the salay at one dollar per an
mum? The office is an useless and I'M
necessary one, the verieSt sinecure,
which could be filled by the police
clerk or one of the policemen always
on duty at the city hall, without the
slightest tax on either his time or usu'
al duties. Let the office go untitled
by special incumbent and save the
taxpayers $1,000 year. That's prac'
teal retrenchment, with large r.
There has been so much delay, eva
sion. mystery and general dilatOriness
about the sewer work, that taxpayers
will not look kindly upon proposition
to issue an additional series of bonds
to extend the system. Perhaps Mayor
Callaghan does not intend to submit
such Il proposition; then, again, per
hnpS he does. But the universal Opin
ion among San AntOniO'S taxpayers is
that valuations are sufficiently high
and the bonded debt sufficiently broad
TAFFETA.