Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-08-25
A TIMELY MEASURE,

II the mountain will not come to Ma
homet, there is tut one way by which
meeting between the two can be
brought about-Mshomst must go TO
the mountain.
II better times refuse to make their
appearance; II old money is withheld
from circulation and new money will
not come; II property does not ad.
vance in value SO that taxation may
properly be increased--all there n.
gether mean a steadily increasing
pressure upon those who must bear
the public burdens. There is then
but one thing to do. That which we
have mast be given negative ad-
vancement in power by narrowing
down and cheapeniHg the things
which are to be done. There ia no
other present way.
The people are heavily laden with
the burden OF tixaiion, and
receive in return no cores
ponding benefit. Even II no
increase ofexpenditures were provided,
the assessments against their property
could not be curtailed, because OF the
natural growth OF the municipality in
spite OF the depressed times, and the
tstanding indebtedness, the interest
alone on which eats up more than
half the revenues. As we are not re.
pudiators bor even those who seek to
shun or put of the evil day, there is
but one plan by which better oondi-
ton OF things may lbe rsached-econ-
omy ell along the liue, retrenchment
everywhere, each item OF expense
gagged to the lowest possible standard
consistent with the proper discharge
OF duty. With the amounts thus hus.
banded the gablio debt can be re-
duced little ty little, each payment
thereon bringing down the in.
terest along with the principal,
until finally they Will have been SO
curlailed that the revenues will be
ample for all purposes without making
:hs tsxpayer's load any heavier than
II is; after that, the load itself can
slso be reduced should the occasion
atill demand and justify II.
With such object in view, the NEWS
Commends In the hesrtiest and most
uBreserved manner the movement in
augurated by Councilman O'Meara at
last nights session OF the City Coun-
ell. 1t 10 somewhat sweeping, but
the times require such action. Per.
hsps the measure presented needs re.
vision, which II is likely to receive, and
wherever modibc cation or enlargement
seems to be demanded, let 1t bs had.
Independent of the supreme fact that
this Is the only way by which the city
can make ends meet and escape
actual bankruptcy, lie the consideration
that should have weight at all times
public Office should be matter OF pub.
lilo duty, neither to BIZ sought nor
summed, with only such compensation
attached as the nature OF the service
and the requifemsnts OF the case, as
sscertained in the light OF justice and
economy, seem to demand. This
would mean that the "snsp" indu
try would be subjected to wiibering
frost; that places would no longer be
sought because Of the money there lie
In them, nor, for that matter sought
at all; ard finally that we should find
our way out OF the wilderness instead
Of plunging further ami further in.
1t may occur to some that the
Councilmen might be a little less dis
eliminating and have given an ex-
ample which should press upon them
selves and the othsr city officers with
equal force ana not let their successors
alone have TO put the plan into pracli-
cal working shape. This Is quite a
natural thought and under other con.
ditions than those which obtain would
be a decidedly happy one; but M.
luckily the city charter foTbids any
thing Of the kind, SO there is no use
discussing 1t.
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