Evening journal., 1898-12-30

the specious plea that the surplus goes
to City Council for other purposes.
What haa the Water Department to do
w.tA these other purposes? Does itl
seek to arIcgsEe to tseE the right to'
supply al defclencies ana meet all OK
travagances in other departments?
Does it contend that all Of the city
revenues should flow into the treasury
through the water mains and that each
particular coin should bear upon It's
face a tribute TO the wisdom. prudence
economy and business capacity and sa-
gacity Of the grasping trinity at Sixth
and King streets?
1t is contended that the surplus as
sists City Council. so It does. NO
body but fool would deny that. But
to what uses does City Council put
such assistance? There it becomes
hmerely another instrument for public
deception. II is used as a pretext for
keeping down the tax rate and making
party capital Do these men suppose
that the taxpayers are fooled by such
juggiery? Are they so blinded by their
vanity that they cannot see that the
taxpayer is as well acquainted with
his pocketbook, as the city officials
are with the estimate lists.
Let the Board Of Water Commission
ers reduce the water rates to figures
commensurate with the needs Of the
department. and cease blaring out news
about a big surplus which is more an
evidence Of greed and political Chi
canery than Of economy, honesty and
business sense. When the people first
heard it years ago it had winning
sound But now they know who has
paid for music which falls so sweetay
upon the ears of Commissioners Por-
ter Belts and Hastings. and which
brings such JUNCTION to their yearning
souls.
Let City Council stand on it's own
legs and make estimates on lines die
.ated by prudence and public necessity
let IL make a tax rate based on an
eouitable assessment. Let councilmen
act like men, and not like boys who
walk in fear and dread beneath the
minous ehadow Of tax-rate. and who
are scrimping and scarping to declare
surplus for use as a campaign docu-
ment at the next city election, just as
lhe Water Commissioners are now
using one to fool the people and the
members Of the General Assembly.
The people do not want a surplus.
They do not want to contribute TO a
surplus fund. What they want lis TO
pay TO 'teir agents sufficient money to
meet the requirements Of the corpora
tion-no more; no less.
What has a surplus ever awaited
City Council? Not many years ago a
Democratic City Council believed that
1t had in a surplus winning card. II
was played on the eve of the city cleo
tion. The taxpayers played the Joker.
Republican Council came in and
spent the Democratic surplus. ana eot
/ credit for It.
What did the big surplus piled ND by
a Democratic Congress avail the partv7
II we mistake not the Republicans ex-
perienced the supreme pleasure Of
spending the rich fruits of Democratic
thrift.
.l | ttrt...
What the people want TO know is
that the money which they contribute
for public purposes Is honestly spent
If 1t is more than is needed they want
to contribute less next time. II IL /,
less than is needed they WIN make M
the deficiency If the matter is honespl,
and fairly brought to their attention
: But they hate political trickerv ant
mathematical legerdernain in publi,
} departments. In these DAYS the eve q
the public is so scrutinizing that a sur
B plus is no longer a golden idol TO b,
r set mp by either Water Commissioner
or City Councilmen for worshin nv m,
taxpayen. There was a time when i
'Np4eaehteu economy and an the Othe
B viriues Of finance, but now, saving ex
1 eepaonal cases. It indicates ethe
greed or ignorance in the matter Of IN,
TAX levy or designing and harmful par
simony in the matter Of expenditure
Whichever it is, the people who pa-
the taxes are not long in determinine
We think thar the triumvirate a
sixth and King streets owes the tax
payers an apo-usy and nearly $4,000
restitution money.
Wilmington is Interested in ca,
1uiidins' and in the course Of a yea
our shops turn out hundreds Of cars q
various kinds The Railroad Gazett,
IN IFS yearly statistics Of the outpui d