The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-15
NEGLECTED DUTIES.

Rightly considered. a city is a corpora
ton whose affairs should be conducted
upon business principles. In such a corpora
ton every voter is a stakeholder, who, II
he has any home and vocation, has an in
terest in that kind of administration which
Is called good government. 1t has been
urged that because a large part Of the
names of voters are not to be found on the
tax duplicate they have no interest in
an intelligent and economical management
of city affairs. The assumption is false.
Every man who hires a house, no matter
how humble, is indirectly a taxpayer, be-
cause he pays taxes in his rent. II a tenant
has asked for cheaper house rent within
the past four or five years he has been
told that the high taxes for current ex-
penditures and improvements render it i'm
possible to make lower rates. Every man
who has home and employment pays taxes,
and because he does he should be interested
in business-like administration
1t seems unfortunate that so important a
matter as local government. which involves
the interests nearest to the inhabitants of
a city, should be regarded with so little
consideration. The people of Indianapolis
pay about a million dollars a year for the
current expenses of the city. During the
four years that Mr.. Taggart has been
mayor the expenses rave been increased
2sA per cent, taking the figures of 1898.
What a topic this fact contains for discus
sion! II 1t were the manager of a railroad
company who had SO increased its current
expenses in three years he would make an
extended explanation at the stockholders
meeting. If it were shown that the direc-
tors had paid a price and a. half for a piece
of property the stockholders would prob
ably select other men to operate the road.
Mayor Taggart has done that very thing,
and yet he has made no explanation. and.
because 1t is q matter of municipal poll
tics. he does not think it necessary.
The supineness of people of intelligence
regarding the management of city affairs is
deplorable. They seem to think tina It is
useless to complain. and permit things to
go on from bad to worse. They simply find
fault. Yet they have a remedy. and it has
been applied in many cities from time to
time. Because they neglect to demand sound
and clean administration, such candidates
as Mr.. Taggart do not pay them the least
heed. If, fifty citizens of both parties. who
believe hat the mayor paid so per cent.
more for the new park lands than he could
have purchased them for if he had followed
the law, should unite and ask him to come
to a public meeting and explain that trans
action there would be a different condition
Of things. Everybody of sense knows that
the city is paying more for its work than
any private party would ~pay-that If its
men on the streets and elsewhere I'm the
city service should work as do those en-
ployed by the street-railway company twice
as much would be accomplished. If the peo-
pie would demand responsible and honest
government they would get il in time, but
under the methods of Mr.. Taggart things
have gone from bad to worse. The worst
thing in sight is the purchase of the park
lands. A year ago, when it was fresh in
the public mind. it would have defeated
him, and it should do so now. A blunder
or something worse cannot change. If the
transaction was corrupt, as most men de-
clared in conversation a year ago. it should
not be forgotten now. And it would not be
If the people of the city were alive to their
iptaroofc