Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-01-07
NOT TOO MUCH EcONonY.

We are heartily in favor OF econ
omy and low taxes as far as is COM
mensurate with efficient govern
ment. But economy and low taxes
can be made an evil instead of
blessing, and tax rate which will
not provide enough revenue to fur
ish necessaries, and an economy
which deprives of sufficient facili-
ties and officials, is mistake that
results only in evil. Cheap gov
eminent, like everything else
cheap, is a false economy, resulting
in dollar saved with innumerable
dollars lost in the end and general
dissatisfaction to the people. 1t is
not in the smallness of the amount
of cost, but in wise expenditure
that gives most for the money that
is real economy, and any system,
however cheap, that does not give
the people protection and comfort
is unwise and will prove unsatis-
factory. The American people, as
a rule, willingly pay taxes, provided
they get fair return in the way of
ample protection, good aud clean
streets, proper drainage, light,
etc.. that enable them to live in
peace, comfort and safety. Wise
economy that they will appreciate
must give them those things with
out burdensome taxes, but close
listed, economic system, however
low the tax, which does not give
them those things, will prove dis
appointing.
The effort of the City Council TO
reduce the tax and abolish unneces-
sary expenditure will meet with
approval, but the curtailing must
not be carried to the extent of Grip
ping the efficiency of the city gov
eminent, but rather a margin must
be allowed for extension of facili-
ties.
The basis of comparison, too, is
often misleading, owing to differ
ences OF conditions and circum-
stances. Louisville is different in
many respects from other cities,
aud what seems ample for them
may prove wholly inadequate here.
Especially is this true in the mat
ter of streets, sewers, police and
fire departments. Our city, by rea-
SON of wide streets and large blocks,
covers a larger territory, in proper
ton to population and taxable
wealth, than any other in the coun
try, and naturally her expenditures
for those items must be proper
tionately larger. Again Louis
ville's only chance for growth is in
the building up and occupancy of
her suburbs, and any system of
government which retards that
growth is a drawback and loss to
the city as whole. Several years
ago large area was forced into
the city boundary and subjected to
city taxes, and since that time that
area, instead of developing, has
refrigerated and values decreased
until the purchase of suburban
property and building has about
stopped. The reason for this can
be readily learned from any one
living in the suburbs. The burden
of city taxes, without any of the
benefits of city conveniences, pro-
lection or advantages, and without
these, being in the city limits, aside
from the cost, is an evil rather than
benefit, since those localities, be-
ing deprived of the authority to
provide self-protection, are wholly
unprotected from rowing evil
characters because of lack of police;
to dangers of fire because of dis
tance, no streets and water, besides
general inconvenience usual in
suburbs. This must be remedied
or the suburbs will not improve, the
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