The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-17
QUESTION OF EXPENSES
CHARTER COMMISSION TALKS
OF SALARIES
DRAFT of the Proposed Section of
the New City Charter Presented
at Last Nights MeetfDg-Fixes
partment APPROXIMATIONS
Deferred Until Tomorrow Night
suggestions Invited.

The charter commission set the limit
on the expenditures of the various city
departments last night
The action of the commission is not
necessarily final, and there will doubt
less be some changes after consuita-
ton with the members of the govern
ing boards, particularly in the cases
OF the fire and police departments.
Col. Clough, the chairman Of the
committee which drafted the financial
chapter, opened the consideration of
the matter with some general observa-
tions concerning the necessity of re-
ducing the public expenditures.
Col. Clough emphasized the fact that
the real paymaster of the city's en-
ployes was the taxpayer. The people
hired the city officials. In view, then,
of the changed conditions, due to the
hard times, which had reduced wages
in all private enterprises, it was only
fair that the various municipal depart
mentS should recognize these changed
conditions and adapt themselves to
them.
Col. Clough said that 65 or 20 per
cent of the burden Of taxation was cast
on the naked land alone, and he was
afraid the owners of it were not going
to continue to pay that. Therefore. it
had become necessary to reduce the
expenses of the city to the lowest
point, in order to encourage the hold
ers of unproductive property in the
city. Col. Clough also believed that
the assessed valuation ought to be re-
duced to $50, 100000 or $S5, 000, 900 at the
outside.
Coming, then, to the consideration of
the fire department, which happened
to be the last on the list, Col. Clough
expressed the opinion that economi-
cally as the fire board had admins
tered it's affais, the annual appropria-
ton of $500, 600 could be reduced with
out impairing the efficiency of that de-
partment
"A 10 per cent reduction would. I
think, be fair said Col. Clough. land
move the appropriation be limited to
$1S0,0OO."
Mr.. Krieger wanted to know is chat
would not necessitate reduction of
the salary of every man il the depart
ment.
Col. Clough thought that the lowest
salaries would not be affected
Mr.. Butler suggested il WOULD be
more logical to first consider the chap
ter on salaries before fixing the total
appropriation.
Accordingly, Mr.. Lightner submitted
copies of proposed chapter 20 regulating
salaries. The secretary read the chap
ter aloud, but no action was aiken on
it.
Returning to the fire department, Mr..
Lightner offered an amendment to Col.
Coughs motion, to the effect that the
appropriation be limited to $50 O0e.
Later he withdrew the amendment
Thereupon Mr.. Alness moved to re-
duce the appropria ton to s150,690 but
his motion did not receive a second.
MIR. Alness thought that 81 500 a year
was too large salary to pay the chi6f
engineer Of the fire department. He
knew private concerns that paid men
holding equally responsible positions
not over three-fourths Of s.. 800.
Here Mr.. Krieger got into the center
| with the pertinent inquiry:
rs it the aim of this commission to
| give the employees Of the city only A
mere existence? 1 am a taxpayer and
l am willing to pay my share of the
taxes on a basis that will give every
| employee of the city a fair wage. Large
taxpayers ought to be willing to pay
the city's employees fair wages for their
| services. A fireman's work is hazard
| Gus. The city ought to be more lib
| eral than a railroad corporation. We
| ought not to pay any man less than
| $50 month and from that up to So
| Col Clough's motion to fill the blank
| by limiting the appropriation % $780,
| 900 prevailed, more as a tentative
! proposition to invite a conference with
| the fire board
Mr.. Alness voted against the motion
| because he considered the amount toe
| large and Mr.. Kreiger voted against il
| for the opposite reason.
Mr.. Kreiger and Mr.. Alness paired
again when the police department ap-
preparation was fixed In the discus
sion Of this department Mr.. Alness
| gave voice to such radical notions of
economy as applied to the police, that