Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-12-23
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.

Important Questions Confronting Those
In Authority Regarding the
Warrants.
Last Friday district court in this
county, Judge McGee presiding, was
occupied with suit over some Hot
Springs city warrants. Frank Black
man, of Illinois, has through hi
agent j. F. Edmonds, purchased some
thing over 81 600 of warrants issued il
1912, and now sought to have then
placed in judgment. Norman 7. Ma
son, Of Deadwood, was attorney FOL
Mr.. Blackman and G. M. Cleveland, al
city attorney, appeared for Hot
Springs, opposing the granting judg
ment upon legal as we'll as technica
grounds. In his defence Mr.. Cleveland
attempted to show that the warrant.
were illegally drawn, there's, 4ihi
been no appropriation bill pa hJ
by the council for that year as IL laS
provides. The judge took the Aaeun
der advisement as it is of far
Importance. r
The STAR doesrnot believe tUsNqol
pie of this city are disposed to
ate any part of their obligati6d4 Gla
though in this case it may havo1
wise to object to having judtlent
obtained. We are not certain bdE.66
general proposition it might hessts6l
for the city to confess Judgment on,Ai,
outstanding warrants prior to sgtyetI
period, say 1897. 1t is possible that
these warrant holders would agree I'd
accept very low rate of interest i1
consideration of obtaining Judgment
This would get the warrants out of the
way, and with the city expenses down
to the present basis-the income ex-
ceeding the expenses-the price of
warrants would no doubt at once go
near, if not fully, to par.
The financial problems confronting
our city as we'll as our county and
school districts, should call forth the
earnest thought of every taxpayer, to
the end that some plan may be
evolved that will tend to lift the great
warrant burden. The columns of the
STAR are open to the public for a dis
cussion of the question, or for sugges-
tions to the officers upon whom de.
wolves the unpleasant and perplexing
duty of doing the best thing possible.
Under the present method it is al
most next to impossible to keep ex-
penses within the income, for with de-.
preciated warrants those who labor in
any capacity for the city, county or
school district must add enough to
their bill so that they will receive fair
and just compensation. This often
forces the corporation to pay prices
that no enterprise can succeed under.
One move has been started by the
city and school district that will, if leg
islation is obtained, result in raising
the value of wrrrants somewhat. The
city council and school board have
adopted resolutions asking the legisla-
ture to amend the present law so that
warrants may be used for the payment
of taxes only for the year in which
they are issued. This is splendid
move, and should be adopted by every
board of county commissioners, every
city council, and every school district
that has this perplexing warrant pro.
blem to contend with. Such Law
would in no wise effect counties or mu-
nicipalities or school districts that are
upon cash basis, but only those that
have such unfortunate things to con
tend with. We hope neighboring coun
ties in the Hills will take up this mat
ter and urge upon their Legislators the
necessity Of legislation along these
Ilines-or some better method Of deal
ing with the warrant problem If it car
be found.