The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-04

address that we can neither find space
nor Immediate time for reasonable con-
sideration of It's glaring absurdities, its
confounding self sutficienoles, and its
Ridiculous snimadversions. We venture
to ssy that no such inniction upon pub
lie intelligence was ever before made q
| public document. The deliberstion and
the audscity which distinguish the
Mayors expressions contribute to their
/ astounding quality.
We win briefly refer at this time to the
part Of the message that deals with the
municipal finances. TO this feature, in
either direct or an indirect way. the
greater part OF this queer document is di
rected as IL needs should have been. sincs
the Mayor came into Office one year ago
upon promise to reduce expenses, to
lower the tax rate, and to borrow no
money while the fact has been that ex-
penses have been increased beyond all re-
cords, that the tax rate has been raised
and that more money has been borrowed.
or application made to borrow, than, we
believe, ever before in the history Of tse
city. And the Mayor naturally feels called
upon to say something In explanation.
And what is the expianatIona why, say.
His Honor, the reason is perfectly clear
the electric light company is responsible
for the raising of the tax rate. This is
plainly so.since, says His Honor, We are
paying more for street lights than We
would have to pay II the city owned its
own plant. OF course the Mayor doesn't
know this. He can only suppose 1t. But
ne makes the statement with perfect self
complacency and 10, sll question and cri-
ticism Of the raising OF the tax rate must
oe set ct rest in the bosom of the uneasy |
citizen since the Mayor assures us tina, II |
Ihe city owned its own electric light
piant-and the Mayor would doubtless.
IND with great cheerfulness, borrow more
money to establish the plant-the tax
ate could be put down to where It was
before reform administration undertook
o teach the citizens how municipal cor.
ought not to be run.
OF course the electric light bill existed
'efore. IL has been paid for number
4 years without EN- barrassment. And
he Mayor neglects to tell BIS confidins
elbow citizens that In every department
the city government have the expenses
cen increased and that particularly has
here been no string to any funds asked for
Or Roger Williams park, W here thousand,
pom thousands Of dollars have been
pent to the great delight Of at least one
llizep, the Chairman of the park COM
lisslon. OF course the sio, 900 casino ana
ther improvements at the park were I'm
ediately re essary in the Mayors mind.
he eity would now be suffering the mayor
srhaps believe out for tue park work, FOR {
hieh money has been spent with lavish
md, whatever the condition of the
easury.
SO much forth sesthetlcs OF municipal
rnership-fos II Is +, be remem hered that A
Q city owns the parks and the present
ministrstion has eviaontly gone on the =
iHcip'e that the psosle must have the T
xariss of munieipll living even IL they
We to endure tho necessity of a raise In :,
res tc pay for them. We are told that il
money expended and to be expended u
d which IN borrowed becluse The tre,s-
was Dry, was vuted Mt this time for -
benefit to those of our f.llow- cit izons
70 are oat OF employment. While we C'
not sure hog y much o! this innrcs,ion
. wss eisea out from the Mayors te
cs would had warrant In the Desperate III
iation OF any considerable nun Der Of D'
fellow citizens and how much of II ]
pure ante-elcclion "gun," we haye no -
lns CT knowing and we doubt IL auy-
y knows, unless perhaps 1t be Ovcrseer o't
the Poor CUMMINGS, who :, said to he
wv every really needy citizen by name
is prepared at all times to meet such
one-hali way, as he advances up the 81
'iil steps OF the poor department, cor
the liberal appropriation thst is pro. pt,
ID for such as are on the eniy official
luthen Heated list of tho truly poor
he city Of Providence. Bot we will WA
quhrrel over that or ask for figures TO +
v exactly how many of the park sm- sto
res for whose benefit money has boon ,,,n
owed would otherwise have become
'eiic charge but will only suggest that Ell,
Siad OF expenditure o1ght to bear fan fan