The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-03
VINO CTR THE rAxY


The claim Of the fusionists that they
have been the means OF reducing taxa
ton Is most amusing. The tax levy
for this year is male less by means
Of retrenchments effected before the
present officials were elected and by
the payment Of delinquent taxes
So soon do people forget. that very
few even among the taxpayers remen-
Der that number Of citizens sat In a
body twice q week for neariy@ two
months bringing about the retrench-
ment which the fusionists are now
claiming the credit for.
During the months of July and Au-
gust of 1885. when preparations were
being made for the expenses OF 1887
and for the tax levy, what was called
for convenience the retrenehment COM
miftee. made a determined effort to re-
duce the city and county expenses. IT
was initiated by a Republican city
council, which appointed a committee
for the purpose. II invited the CO.
operation of the Chamber of Com
merce which body appointed COM
mittee consisting of f. o. Graves.
John w Pratt. Lawrence J. Coin,an. G.
f. Crane. c. E. Burnside. John
Schram and Joseph Shippen-six Re-
pnblicans and two Democrats. The
committee was strengthened by the ad-
dlfion OF two members of the school
board and Of the county commission
ers. of whom the majority were Re-
pubiicans and the minority was Hea-
ton.
The joint body invited the presence
Of the heads Of departments. Every
official could see the way to retrench-
ment In another department. but none
in his own. 1t was evident there
the retrenehment committee took in
turn every department of the county
and city government. and after listen
ing impartiaIiy to the representations
OF the heads OF departments, OF sub
ordinates and Of former officials, II
firmly insisted In the name Of the tax
payers upon a rctrenchment all around.
The result of the work of that COM
nittee was q reduction Of expenses of
from IS to SO per cent-a slashing re-
duction.
So far as the city was concerned.
President Graves. in his report to the
Chamber of Commerce In December Of
last year. when the good effect of this
arduous and disagreeable task was
manifest. made the following comment:
1.-The chamber has also been instrumental
IN reducing public expenditures and taxa
ton. In making the estimates and fixing
the tax levy for 1895. a committee of the
chamber efficiently co-operated with repre-
ssntatives OF the various governing bod
les. Their efforts resulted in a substantial
reduction of the tax levy foe that year. and
as a further result of the economies and re-
forms then brought about. the levy for ise.
has been still further reduced. There has
been a steady reduction In public expenses
during the last six years. The total ex-
penditure for the city has been reduced
from $ssl ,,77 in 1892 to an estimated amount
of s5oa.oo5 In 1885, a reduction of nearly 80
per cent"
The actual cost for current ex-
penses was reduced so 1924 900 the rest
being for annual interest charges
which were. Of course, fixed and could
not be reduced by the officials
The report goes on to say: at IS
safe 10 say tina, there is no city OF its
size In the United States whose affairs
are conducted with greater economy
and integrity than those OF the city of
Seattle There were one or two Pop
ulist members OF that council who are
entitled 10 full share Of credit In the
majority consisted OF Republicans
Among those who worked hardest "a
reduce expenses were Comptroller Par
~ and Couneiin,en James. Herman.
Navin Criehton. Mc4reile, Taylor and
Rude,
And now the officials who We're
elected 10 carry out these pians are
claiming all the credit for having orig
mated the economies. When these re-
trenchments and those made by Re
publican legislature in the salaries OF
officials are taken into account IL will
be found that SO far from having run
| their Offices for less than the Rerub-
! leans did. they have actually cest the
/ taxpayers a great deal more. So much
for fusion economy