The herald., 1897-01-17
a state of affairs very beneficial to the

a state of affairs very beneficial to the
poor man who does lot pay taxes at all.
Under the present system the money
spent in public Improvements does not
go to the laburing man In as large pro-
portion as it should; we do not have a S
much work done on the streets as we
should have; we do not have as much
permanent work done in our parks as
we ought to have; our public buildings
are not kept up as they might be under
our high tax rate. All these things are
due to the fact that under the present
charter there Is practically no supervis-
ion of receipts and expenditures from
many resources. The new charter
changes all this, and its earliest result
will be to turn more money into the
pockets of laboring men for city work
money which it is now suspected is often
lost on the way from the tax payer to
the men who do work for the city.
CHECKS ON OFFICIALS.
@. How will the new charter help
save money?
a. BY keeping check on all moneys
received and paid out, mainly through
q general system of accounts.
Q. What is meant by a general sys-
tenn of accounts?
A. That the city's business should
be run like that of a. railroad or other
large corporation with separate set of
books for each department, and all un
der the supervision and control of the
auditor, who keeps the general ac-
counts. and who, by the new charter,
must be an expert accountant. Also
that there must be a complete system
of checks on all money that comes in
from police courts, street assessments,
city licenses, etc., all of which must
pass through the hands of the treasurer
and be accounted for
@. What are the unnecessary offices
abolished by the new charter?
A. Tax collector and assessor, all of
whose work can be done at az trifling
expense through the county, while these
two offices now cost the city $4,000 per
year.
RAILROAD FRANCHISES.
@. What provision does the new char
ter make with regard to franchises for
car lines?
A. Requires them to pay two per
cent of their gross earnings into the city
treasury after one year, and, reversion
OF roadhed and track to city upon ex-
piration of franchise.
Q. Won't this keep out new roads?
A. Legitimate enterprises will come
just the same. Fake ones may not.
These franchises will run so years and
will be of value even with the two per
cent charge. British cities enjoy a
splendid revenue from such sources as
this.
@. When will the new charter go into
effect, if carried?
A Some of it's provisions March 1st,
but those that relate to election of Of
ficers do not go into effect until a year
from next April.
WILL THE NEW CHARTER CARRY?
Q. What prospect is there that this
cha rter will carry?
A. An excellent prospect, If the
friends of the measure will put in a
reasonable amount of work in it's be-
half. If left to itself the "push" will
defeat it, because the occupation of the
politician will, In a large measure, be
gone If the new charter carries.
q. VINO else besides the push will
oppose it?
A. Men who are disappointed because
it does not contain some special pet idea
of their own, and also men who are
really in favor of nine tenths of it, but
because they are doubtful of the other
tenth will vote against it all.
Q. Is that logical?
A. Hardly. but it is a good deal like
some sorts of human nature.
@. Is the new charter supposed to be
perfect?
A. Not at all; it is merely great i'm
provement over the present one-with
which it should be compared to judge of
its real merits.
Q. If some part Of this does not suit