Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-24
REFORM IS NEEDED.

dUllliillSll ulloll III bulle Nv iS -
edness of this city was SAIL 5SS.79 Mayor
Thompson, republican, then took charge
of affairs with the result that at the end
of the first year of his administration the
net indebtedness had been reduced to
$3.50. O59.63. Mr.. Thompson kept up the
good work OF retrenchment. and at the
end of his term of office the net indebt-
edness had been still further reduced to
the sum of 1851, 116. "a pretty good
showing.
Had this economical and prudent
| course been continued by the succeeding
| administration the finances of this city
would have soon gotten into a most cred
liable shape. But Mr.. Harrington, who
succeeded Mr.. Thompson as mayor of
Butte. was not only a gentleman of lesser
abilities than his predecessor in that Of
under the direction and ounse of the
wing of the democracy that now seeks to
continue it's control of the city. The mis-
take was a fatal one, insofar as the in
t~erests of Butte were concerned.
At the end of Mr.. H~arrington's first
year, the net Indebtedness had increased
from s357.116.7O to s40s, 591.11 This was
the situation May 1, 1898. Mr.. Harring-
TONS term is not finished, but on Janu-
airy /. 1899, the net indebtedness had in
creased to $435, S91.13.
In two years of republican rule the net
indebtedness of the city DECREASED
s54,422. 90. In one year and nine months
of democratic rule the net Indebtedness
of the city INCREASED SIS, 774.43. And
the good Lord only knows how much
more this net indebtedness will increase
before Mr.. Harrington steps down and
out to MAKE room for Mr.. Kirk.
We have given the net indebtedness in
each instance that no bubbles might
arise as to the disposition of various
funds. 1t is true that Mayor Thompson
had the advantage of certain licenses the
first wear of his term, but the growth of
the city, and the increase in business Ii
censes threw the advantage clearly in
the hands of Mayor Harrington, had he
insisted on honesty and economy in the
administration of city affairs. 1t is also
true that some of our streets have been
paved, but this expenditure is practically
covered back into the city treasury
through the medium of a special tax, for
which due credit is given.
During the administration of Mayo
Thompson licenses were collected to the
extent of s133, 124. so. The first year he
collected s62,4 2o.7O and the second year
$40, 704. 10, showing a most creditable in
crease in the city In the first
year of Mayor H~arrington's reign the col
lection of licenses fell off, although the
business of the city had improved and
property holdings had increased, the
population had grown enormously and
the collections should have increased cor.
r~espondingly. He collected but $66, 1874 OF
+ the first year. From May 1, 1898, t.
= March /, 1899, he collected $50, 5O7. 80. Civ
. ing him the benefit of this pro rata from
March /, 1899, to the end of his term, Ma!
S /. and he will nave collected additional
licenses to the amount of SO, 500. 90, or
y total collection in two years of 1929, III so
This leaves Mayor Harrington 1858. 9
behind Mayor Thompson in the matte
I of collecting licenses, Notwithstanding
: the magnificent growth in population an
business enterprises in the past tw'
f years. The growth of this city ought t.
: have brought to the public reasury a
least $40, 900 in excess of the licenses col
5 lected by Mayor thompson. Inns us
f crepancy can be accounted for in but on
wav-licenses that ought to have bee
collected have not been collected. Favor
ties have been played, and other citizen
have been compelled to sustain the bur
q dens of government.
T Business men who are required to pu
s up their hard earned money to pay tn