San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-06-27
INTER NOS.

l
The oft-repeated assertion, that a
large amdnnt of the outstanding bonds
of the city of San Antonio lack a ma
terial essential to invest them with the
breath of validity, has been revived
and promises to receive formal inves-
tigation at the hands of some over-bur-
dened taxpayer. And, then-the old
straw will be threshed and the ears
of the populace will be regaled with
those old familiar terms-repudiation
bad faith, moral dishonesty, sacred OBJ
legations, innocent purchasers, etc.
Mayor Callaghan is making common
dable effort to remedy as far as in his
power the egregious errors and indie
ldefensible carelessness of his predeces-
sors in office. But the way of reform,
accompanied by needed and necessary
Improvements, however limited in ex-
tent, with only an empty treasury to
draw on,is alike tortuous and tantal-
izing. But possibly Mayor Callaghan
may prove equal to the task. Let us
hope so, at least
Those sleuth bonds of justice, whose
mission is to look wise and maintain a
policy of owl-like reticence. give pub
lie notice that they intend to rid the
city of the horde of crooks fakirs
and sure thing men who will proba-
bly, rendezvous here in anticipation of
the coming drill. 1t is to be hoped that
their sudden and spasmodic stroke of
morality will not be confined entirely
to an effort to deport the visiting gen.
try. 1t should extend to like attention
on their part toward the scores of To-
cal Migrants and "big nit artists who
ply their vocation apparently undis-
turbed and enjoy life through the usu-
fruct obtained by "skinning suckers
the year round.
Mayor Callaghan's determination to
run his administration, so far as the
current expenses are concerned, upon
cash basis, is worthy of all praise;
but what is to become of those credi-
tors who have served the city in past
and yet remain unpaid? 1t is not Ma
yor Callaghan individually who is in
debted to these ex-public employees, but
the City of San Antonio, the aggregat-
ed citizenship of the community. Ma
yor Callaghan, however, appears to la
Dor under the impression that the ex-
employees must look to the eX-mayor
for a liquidation of their just and
honestly earned salaries, and that the
current and incoming receipts of the
city should be religiously dedicated to
the payment of obligations incurred
under the present administration. 1t
lis the city of San Antonio, in its corpo-
rate capacity and character, that is
responsible for the payment of the
back salaries due, and not Mayor CAL
laghan, who, despite his many admira-
BILE and excellent traits of head and
heart, cannot bring himself to distin-
guish between a personal and an i'm
personal administration of the official
affairs of the city.
The bill recently enacted curtailing
the fees of county officers, though re-
ceived with almost If not entirely
unanimous approval by the people,
meets with mild but none the less
vigorous and emphatic howl from GER
tain gentlemen affected. 1t is assert
ed that one of them-a Harris county
official-will take the matter into the
/
1t is to be hoped he will. Reforms, like
| revolutions, never go backward, and
the bell has tapped the death-knell of
princely incomes from modest offices
in Texas. The present law is prob
ably crude in many details, but time
and experience will demonstrate where
amendment is desirable, and amend
ments will be made as the exigencies
If ~
cut in high fees and salaries, however,
has come to stay, and the only wonder
| is that Ii was so long deferred.
The Houston Post voices a very gen.
eral sentiment in, the annexed quota
ton: "The governor of Pennsylvania
has just signed an act to tax all aliens
| employed in that state. 1t is good
law. A man has no right to refuse to
become a full fledged citizen and yet
enjoy protection, employment, the ben
eft of the public schools for his child
rem and yet not contribute a cent to
the public treasury. If killed in row
his home government is quick enough
to demand damages for him." The law
should be made to extend to all aliens.
whether employed or unemployed, who
remain in the country twelve months
or longer and then placed on the stat
ute books of Texas.
The enactment of the amended fee
bill threatens to destroy two hitherto
very fourishing industries in San An
tonic and Southwest Texas-the pur-
chase of Mexican pelados on election
days and the retention of ward buns
and heelers during the pending Of
political campaign.
The city treasureship, unfortunately,
is one of the official plums that thu
amended fee bill failed to touch. And
yet that office, carrying on its face the
modest salary OF only $1,000 a year, is
sRsgilthei aalsiwye sdda-n .aN aaN
easily worth to the incumbent $1,000
or $4,000 In Waco the city treasurer
receives a salary Of one dollar a year,
while in other cities banks cheerfully
nav q bonus to act as the city's treas