The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15

iildifS IS as absolute as the right OF a state
10 govern within it's borders, or the right of
a nation to be master over its domain.
| Iowns existed before states or nations. Lo-
| cal government is the oldest government in
| civilization. 1t Is older than any general
| government. Under good government a
| city will prosper; under bad government
| III VIII decline.
Delegates from West Indianapolis Mount
| Jackson, Haughvile and Brightwood, we
most heartily WELCOME you all within the
| charmed circle of Indianapolis Republicans.
You have met here to-day for the purpose
| of placing in nomination candidates for Of
noes TO be filled at the coming municipal
election. They will contest for supremacy
with the present administration That adj
ministration has been in power for twenty
two months. 1t has had control of all
branches of the city government. The legls-
lative has gone hand in hand with the ex-
ecutive; there has been no hindrance by
way of obstructive legislation or the exer-
else of veto power.
INCREASE OF BONDED DEBT.
ut started in with the lowest bonded
debt this city has enjoyed for twenty years.
The bills We're all paid; there was money
in the treasury. In all the years of Re
publican rule bonds had never been issued
to be used ostensibly in making permanent
improvements, but in fact to pay the actual
current expenses Within twenty-five
months the bonded debt of this city has
been increased $50, 900. The constitutional
limitation will soon be reached What Il
rock of refuge is that constitutional linn
ltatlon IN time of Democratic supremacy.
II is the Gibraltar against which the storm
Oh OHlclaI extravaganza beats in vain.
90 with me briefly over the history OF
our bonded debt. The Democratic party
was in power by accident from 1873 to 1875
In those two fateful years they fastened
on this city bonded debt Of ST. 209 900, bear
ing 10 per cent. interest. Twenty years
nave passed. A ne WgeneraiOn has grown
up. The people of this city in that time
nave paid 81, 10000 in interest alone. When
the bonds matured they were extended for
thirty years more, at per cent. interest.
For fifty years the backs Of the people will
be bent to pay for two years of Democratic
Inlsrule. In that time the people will have
paid in interest alone $685., l40 and the prin
clpal will still be unpaid. Now comes again
the same party into power. The Belt road
bonds are paid off. A new leeway is made.
promptly they again increase the bonded
debt close to the constitutional limit. Mark
my prediction: If the present city govern
useAI Is coh'ihueo IN power aholher term
the bonded debt will reach the CONSTITUTE
tional limit, including the property of West
Indianapolis, Mount Jackson, Haughville
and Brightwood. There we will remain for
"Of what do these 500 900 of bonds con-
sist? Seventy thousand dollars were Dor
rowed to be used ostensibly to improve the
fire department Why were not these i'm
prOVementS paid for out of current
ceipts? Why burden the people with in
terest bearing bonds instead of paying the
cost of the fire department out of current
revenue?
From 1876 to 1890 the Republicans We're
continuously in power in this city. We
grew in those years from large town to a
splendid city The fire department kept
pace with the growth of the municipality.
New grounds were procured, new buildings
erected, new companies organized new
equipment purchased, and all out of current
revenues No bonds were issued to meet
the constantly growing demands for fire
protection; 1T was the increasing growth of
the city that made the demand for increas-
ing fire protection; but increased growth of
n
and this met the growing demands.
BONDS FOR CURRENT EXPENSES.
THE present administration has adopted a
new method of bookkeeping. They charge
the building of a new engine house and
equipping the same to permanent improve
ments, and issue bonds at a high rate of
interest with which to pay for the same.
The buying of a fire engine should be
charged as a current expense, and should
be paid for out of current revenues.
THE issuing of interest bearing bonds to
pay current revenues is one iof the legacies
inherited by the American people from the
late but unlamented administration Of Gro
yer Cleveland. We want none of it in city
affairs, and the citizens of this city will
have none of 1t.
But the present administration did not
stop here. 1t has issued $4,000 more bonds
with which to build a station house. These
bonds have been bearing interest and the
there isn't yet so much as an advertise
ment for a bid for the contract; why, it is
not known except to the sacred few that
plans for the same have been finally
adopted for its construction. Why issue
/ bonds to build a station house? We built
the new City Hospital, costing much more
of a dollar of bonds. We built the City
Hall and market house and paid for the
same out of current revenues. The small
net amount received from the TOmlinson
estate, beyond the annuities paid to the
widow, netted the city practically nothing.
The enormous receipts of this city are suf-
ficient, with proper economy to build the
necessary city buildings. We did it for tif-
teen years, and we did it with a revenue
revenues of this city. An evil day has
come upon this city if Understanding
bonds must be issued to pay for every in
creaSing demand that comes from the nat
ural growth Of the city.
PARK BONDS AND PARKS.
but what shall l say of the next and
large issue of $3.50, 900 of park bonds. They
have been bearing interest for four months.
The money has been lying idle in the treas
ury. Nothing in the TWENTY-FIVE months Of
the present administration has been so mis-
erably mismanged as have been the park
affairs. The property of the poor has been
levied upon, and the property of the rich
has been exempted. Assessments that
amount to practical confiscation have been
reported Tor approval. 20 ana examine
the dead lire that marks the boundary of
the assessed districts See the serpeEtine
trail that it makes in the city. The prop
erty of the rich and influential citizen is
exempted, while the cheap property of the
laborer on the outskirts of the city is out
rageously assessed. Protests appeared on
all sides. So universal was the opposition
10 the schemes of the bosses that the park
farce was abandoned in the face of an APP
preaching election, and all action sus-
pended So scared did they become of
themselves that they sued themselves and
asked that they be enjoined from doing
wrong They did not wait for an eXaSper-
ated public to stay their hand, but have
actually and solemny asked the court TO
prevent themselves from doing wrong This
litigation will continue until after the cleo
ton 1t will be wholly unnecessary for any
property holder to employ a lawyer before
that time. That much IS certain why dld
this administration buy certain pieces of
real estate for parks to be paid for by the
whole people and in other cases condemn
grapevine strips of mingled mud and marsh
and compel the adjacent property holders
to paw for the same? The law does not
contemplate such a proceeding; let all be
treated alike. If property is to be con-
deHned and paid for by neighborlng lots,
why the issuance of the enormous amount
of park bonds. These bonds run for thirty
wears The interest on them alone will
am cunt to 100000.
THE ENORMOUS EXPENDITURES
But that is not all Are you aware of
the enormous increase of expenditures
within the last two years? BY the con-
troller's report the present administration
expended last year, exclusive of the bond
accounts. 1851, 9S7 There has already been
appropriated this year 1919 900. 1t may be
safely asserted that a million dollars will
be expended this year to carry on the or