San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-06
A PLAIN ISSUE.

|
sition of the forces that are to meet
| in the battle of ballots on Monday.
That battle will determine the posi-
ton of San Antonio for not only two
years to come, but for indefinite years
that are to follow. Two absolutely
antagOnistic forces are at work, seek
ing the direction and control of the
city. One of these pledged by past
years of extravaganza and lavish ex-
| penditures to the same course in the
future. The election of the represen-
tatives of this idea means increased
public debt; fat contracts with fat
ter extras; payments of large interest
charges to maintain current expenses;
destruction of the sinking fund and
consequently no provision for inter
est of bonded debts; carelessness in
the trasfer of properties and the ac-
QUESTION of titles by which large
losses accrue to the city; heavy eX-
penditureS with comparatively small
results: Il combination of all the polit-
ical rings within the county and the
city to perpetuate their hold on the
offices.
The other of these antagonistic
forces stands for the exact opposite
of this idea. Pledged also by past
vaorS nf nnopnnv and cIoSa cnntr, ctS
faithfully enforced, it's election means
decreased debt: increased revenues;
rigidly enforced contracts; prompt
collection of taxes; no interest charges
outside of bonded Indebtedness; sa-
credly guarded and constantly accu-
mulating sinking fund; completion of
present sewer system as begun, with
out extras; contracts without partial
ity to the lowest responsible bidder;
strict compliance with all charter reg
ulatiOns.
These are virtually the lines along
which the battle of Monday is to be
fought out. These facts may be de-
pied but the proof of their correct
ness is in the past records made by
the parties at issue. Two of these
parties have had ample time in office
to make their record. Upon that re-
cord the people will judge them. Ac-
cOrding to that record the opinions OF
the voters will be made up. That
which has been is that which will be.
There is no reason to conclude other
wise. 1t is a question of Il saving
of half million to the city in the
course of a two years term of city
administration. or the expenditure OF
that sum i'll that which virtually
yields little to the taxpayers in re-
turn.
can afford to spend an additional half
million for the luxury of having any
one particular person for her chief
magistrate. She is in need of money
for public improvements of every
kind and if that money can be saved
out of the present revenues, as the
Elmendorf administration has demon
strated that it can. then there is just
so much less bonded Indebtedness to
provide for in the future.
If, as is true, this administration
has saved 100000 out of the reve-
nues to meet old obligations, then
once those obligations are met that
100000 will be available for perma-
nent street improvements. These are
cold facts that the taxpayers must
consider. 1t is upon a question OF
financial interest that this election
tends Once the monies are saved
by which public improvements can be
carried out, there will be no trouble
about those Improvements. The
question is to save the money out of
the present revenues. The admin
istra ton that has saved and paid
debts. will continue to save and pay
for improvements now that the debts
are paid.
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