The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-04
Assignment OF Wages.

Assignment OF Wages.
The book kept In the City Hall in which Is
recorded all assignments of wages, salaries,
ETC.. shows the need OF an ordinance prohib-
iting such assignments by city officials and
emp oyees. IL does not look well to find
license commissioner making an assign
ment of wages to n member OF the City
Council or member of the board of public
works and other city officials assigning
their salaries to other parties, besides a
number OF city employees doing the same
thing. Assignments are usually made to
secure debtor or to avoid payment of n
debt and yet we find such persons on the per-
sonal property list. As have said before
the city should not assist any man to evade
payment of his honest debts.
The letting out of contracts to parties who
are engaged In business different from that
called for I'm the contract, to be sub-let for
obvious reasons to other parties, should not
be permitted. An honest official does not
connive at transactions which are not con
sidered strictly honest in any business com
munity.
Enforcement of Law,
The laws of the state and the ordinances 70
the city should bc enforced. The enforce.
ment of the liquor law during the past year
has resulted in much good. Saloons now
close promptly at the required time, and
there Is n general disposition on the part of
the dealers to keep within the law. Sunday
selling has been reduced tn a minimum, and
| there has been less drunkenness and dis
turbance. The streets on the sabbath are
now quiet and orderly.
| Whatever has been done this year has been
done without the full support of the City
| Council. The Common Council In one in
| stance only in response To public Sept'lnCnt
| took stand In regard to victualing ho;,.,
/ and hotel licenses that was a credit To them
and II benefit to the city.
The license commissioners, forced by pub
| lie sentiment, have administered the duties
| of their Office more impartially and justly.
The ratio of saloons to population Is too
| great in city of our size, Sixty-eight
saloons i'm population of $1,000, one saloon
| to every 22l inhabitants, Is one cause of vio-
lation of the liquor law. / think that some
| effort should be made to amend the liquor
| law of the state SO that but one liquor license
| be granted To every 1000 of the population,
the license to cost from 81 900 to 81, 800.
The city would derive as much revenue as
now and those who have licenses would be
| able to do n lucrative business while the
reduction of licenses In this city from 81
| to 10 would be OF great value NOR
| ally and financially to the city Mt large. II
| would be said mt once, who should be the 10
| men to have licenses? IL would be proper
! aud right to grant those 10 licenses to those
| who have not been known to have violated
no complaint has been made The state OF
Massachusetts has such n law and 1t Is now
| In successful operation.
| would call your attention to the bond for
| liquor dealers. Men who would not be nc
cepted I'm court as bond for bail are taken
| on The bond required by license. Men
| whose property Is mortgaged for more than
| IL Is taxed are not proper to act as bonds
| men in any case. The law states that non
| residents cannot serve on bonds and yet we
have one such on n bond. Neither should u
man of limited means be allowed to go on
! seven or eight bonds
without any support from the City Council,
| except the exception noted, of the Common
| Council, ii has been fully demonstrated that
| that the law can he enforced. With your full
/ support which l again ask of you, the law
| can be enforced easily and more thoroughly
| ana TO the last letter of the law. In any event
the laws will continue to be enforced.
| Miscellaneous.
| I'm the list of estimated expenditures for
| the coming year find the items printing,
| advertising, stationery and binding" $500
| would recommend that the contract for
| this he let out to the lowest bidder, instead
of bestowing the. patronage by favor as is
| done at present.
The salary of the City Clerk and the
| Deputy City Clerk should be II stated sun,
| per annum.
The City Treasurer should also receive a
| stated sum instead of a percentage as nj
present
hope that you will give the same careful
| attention to the needs of the city the coming
| year as you have In the past; that you will
| realize that you are here for the good of all
| citizens and not for the benefit of the few
and that business principles are just as
necessary I'm municipal affairs As In the af
| fairs of a private individual.
| WILLIAM Won GOTTSCHALK-