Evening journal., 1899-01-03

what the expenses Of the !
city will be for the year. the commit.
tee proceeds to ascertain by mathe-
matical calculation what tax on each
800 represented by the assessment,
viii be necessary to raise that sum,
due allowance being made for errors
and delinquents. Having aecertained
that, the matter is reported to City
Council, which fixes the rate in accord
ance with the committees recommen-
datlons. II Is always the desire Of the
Finance Committee to keep the rate as
low as possible, and often, in it's
anxiety. II goes go far as to leave the
city bankrupt at the end Of the year
But, generally, 1T comes out even or
with a small surplus BE this as Il
may, such an assessment and tax levy
Is equitable because 1t bears evenly
upon all property owners according to-
the value OF their holdings. They pay
their fair proportionate share for police
and fire protection, and the many
other advantages which property de-
rivee from a well-organi2ed city gov
ernment such as we have. But the in
equitable feature Of the thing Is that
the councilmen figure on the Water De-
partment collecting for water pur-
poses, from a certain number Of citl-
zens, many thousands Of dollars to be
used for general purposes and for the
direct benefit OF all the citizens. That
is the feature which would be elimi-
mated If the Water Department would
make just charges and attend STRICTLY
TO It's own business, BY going over
the records Of the Water Department
and OF City Council the water consum-
ers VIII find that they have contribn
ted hundreds Of thousands Of dollana
In this manner, over and above what
was necessary for The proper uainte-
nance Of the water eystem, which not
onlv supplies them with water, but
also the city for nre-hghtlng and other
purposes.
p hIANNM lIdA EWNM NNtAANAA' or
these are urnolatable TO the Board Of
W-hter Commissioners. They may turn
ard twist and endeavor to look pleas.
ant, but 1t won't do. We take their own
showing and they cannot deny it. 1t
would be bad enough II they collected
all this extra and unnecessary money
ard kept It for the alleged benefit Of
the water consumers; but to collect II
and then turn it over to City Council
for the benefit Of the non-consumers is
simply shameful and contrary to ali
honesty and common-sense. The first
would be simple extortion. We scarce
" know what to call the second etep
in this extraordinary. course of fnan-
ceerlng.
The time has come for the consumers
Of water TO at. for their own protec-
ton. No water taxes have been col
lected for 1899. and not until June will
city Council fix the tax rate for the is-
cad year from June, 1899. to June, 1900
A demand should be made upon the
Board Of Water Commissioners for an
immediate fifty per cent reduction in
the water rates. II it refuses, carry the
fight to the General Assembly and
force it TO do so. Now is the time OF
ell times to act. If the present eched.
ule stands the Water Department viii
come up smiling next December will
about 100000 more to turn over to City
Council But IL the fifty per cent re
duction is made now the Water Depart
ment will have all the money il need
for the current year, and in June Cit!
Council can fix just tax rate to NEE
the needs of the city and the months
I intervening will remove any embar
basement which it might otherwise suf
fer by the sudden and unexpected cut
ting OF Of this fund to which IL is no
ard never has been entitled The com
mlssioners may higgle and haggle an
ask for a year OF grace. They don
need the grace. and the water con
, sumers do need the money. City Coun
ell may put its car in and endeavo
10 help the department out. It wou,
be better for City Council to cheris
o. what 1t has already received OF bount
co dishonesty wrung from class c
e our taxables. for this thing has be
l. come an issue, and one with which n
q City Council need endeavor TO plac
Itself at cross purpcsc5 ana expect {
escape injury The water Commi.
r gioners may say that their rates al
established. looks made up and bill
r made out for 1899 and let the matte
o rect until the end Of the present yea
: That is another plea which viii nj
satisfy the water consumers. The
il would rather pay few hundred dollar
e for a new set OF books and clerical a.
r lsis;arce to make them up and to pr,
D. pare the bills anew under reform col
st diNons than to pay $4,000 which the
d have no right to pay.
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