The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1898-01-12

the council in any reasona BILE
bond issue, looking to the point
of putting the city upon a cash
basis and do away with the poor,
miserable scrip system, which is
both dishonest and unbuSincsS-
like. There is not a business
house in Ocala that could exist
and maintain a credit thirty
days under such a system. Then
why should the city do SO: There
is a Judgment against the city
now Of 1900 on scrip and other
judgments may follow, and when
ever the holders Of this scrip de-
mand payment, which they can
do by mandamus, the city will be
compelled to make a special levy
| to pay it. This council has an
opportunity to become a business
body if it will only handle the af-
fairs Of the city in the same man.
ner they would conduct their pri-
Vate affairs, and | appeal to you
as mayor, to be conservative in
action and economical in expendi-
lures, and not spend dollar out
side of the lawful appropriations.
| have noticed disposition on
the part of some men elected as
cOuncilmen to absent themselves
from meetings, sometimes for
good reasons, at other times they
have subjected themselves to a
suspicion that they remained
away SO as to escape an uupleas-
ant duty on some pending meas
ure. | hope the members of this
council will be regular in attend
ance and expedite the business of
the city in a businesslike manner
and make a record during 1898
that the council, Individually and
collectively, can afterwards refer
to with pride. | have also no.
ticed in other councils a DISPOSE
tion 20 kill certain measures in
the committee that might pro-
duce unfriendly feelings, and
hence the interest of the city was
made secondary in order that
harmony between persons may be
preserved.
| am a strong advocate of the
peaceable solution of all public
questions, but when a matter is
referred to a committee for in
vestigation, the committee should
act promptly and report results
at next meeting Of council, and if
committee is not ready to report
the committee should give reason
why the report is not forthcom-
ing and secure the consent of the
council to continue Investigation.
Each committee should be held
accountable to the council and
the council should see that COM
mittees do not retard the pro-
gress of its work and faith
full performance of duty to the
city. In looking over the finan-
cial condition of the city, | find
that the finance committee of the
retiring council has not reported
on matters pertaining to Tax
Collector j. H. Livingston, Jr's.,
office, referred to the finance
committee, May Is, 1897. This
delay is inexcusa bic, except upon
| the ground that the chairman of
the finance committee could not
secure a meeting of the commit
tee to attend to Ibis business.
The showing made upon the pa
pers of the finance committee is
that Mr.. Livingston is indebted
to the city S2,603.39. 1t is also
claimed by Mr.. Livingston, SO l
am informed by the chairman of
the finance committee, that Mr..
Livingston has credits due him to
offset this Indebtedness to the
city.
Whatever shape this account
may be in, it is clearly improper
for it to remain in an unsettled
condition. II the credits claimed
! hN MI I .iNin crst0n q re due him the