The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-02
GUT OUT Only ONE ITEM
REPORT of CONFERENCE COMMIT
TEE PASSES WITH AN AMEND
MENPs
SOME STRONG PROTESTS MADE
Delegations From Cha mber OF Conn
merce and Other' Bodies in At
misrepresentation for
Sinking Fund Stricken.


the city ofeSt Paul for the year 1861, is
now up to the common council for ap-
prevail
At meeting of the conference com
mittee yesterday, attended by commit
tee from the Chamber of Commerce and
many interested citizens who came to
lodge protests against certain appropria-
tons, the report, slightly amended, was
adopted, but not until several of the
members who were deeply interested in
its passage had well nigh exhausted
themselves in an effort to explain away
much criticism.
The total proposed expenditure. ex-
planned in detail by the printed pam
phlets, which were distributed among
the committee and the taxpayers present,
was 2,5S7, 20S but, by a persistent effort
on the part of the committee from the
Chamber of Commerce, which included
Messrs. f. w. Peet C. P Moves, Luther
S. Cushing, Walter L. Chaplin, Thomas
Cochran, Ambrose Tighe and c. M. Pow
ers, this amount was reduced 20. O0O the
concession being gained hy a vigorous
onslaught on the second item of the bud
get, the sinking fund
Comptroller McCardy was alone In his
argument for the retaining of this par
ticular item. but he found himself ont
classed when the vote on Kenneth Clark's
motion to strike out the same was an
nounced by the clerk. HIS negative
alone marked the vote.
In the absence of Mayor Smith and Dr
Schiffmann, President ]. w L. Corning
Of the school board, was made Chairman
of the meeting.
In order to allow unrestricted comment
or protest, the budget was called off item
by item, method that met with favor
from those present, but which, before the
ciose' brought to the surface considera-
= nf holt
Attorney Ambrose Tighe for the com
mittee from the Chamber of Comnoerca
opened the session by explaining their
stand on the several items of the BUDGET
TO which they were opposed. principal
among Which was the increase in the
school fund of 100000, the appropriation
oI @zu'VVo Tor sinking fund, $25. COO for an
0oo eIisIon 10 the Ih1Td street bridge, So
W. recoupment for bank lossese s69 INK
Ior the purchase of local improvements
certlncates, $13, 200 for the pavement Of
street intersections, and 500 900 for the
construction Of crosswalks. These ALONE
II removed, he contended, would mean a
SAVING OF $l55G00, while q further de rose
t1uiu Dc made by cutting down In amount
eiie hefns apportioned to the stationery
luna and unforeseen expenses
CUT OUT $4,000.
For the elimination OF the $40. coo an
~ Tic SIithlnS fund We Tier
L. ChaDin, member of ti,c Z omnittse
from the Chambec OF Commerce cnoke az
1ehSlh contending that it was a burden
the taxpayers could scarcely affor5 tn
bear "4AOIu 10
Il. w Peet also raised his voice in he
nan OF its removal. He was caustio in
t az argument making the assertion thai
90. al! was now resting under a tax
rate which was enormous II iS in H.
neighborhood of 21a per cent M DE- el1t
commended, an amount the entire ,ro1,oI,r
" OF the city does not paw on ire as
sessed valuation. as
ms brought Comptroller McCardv m
ms leet' who asked Mr. Peet if he want
ca such statements to go abroad.
NO, l am only telling the truth. and
no one need be afraid of the truth
reply. '-i0
Ambrose Tighe and Walter L. Chapin
ADDED to the appeal to have 1t stricken
OUT which on motion of President Clark
OF the board of fire commissioners. was
done. was
Inc ninth item, the estimated expense
OF the maintenance and equipment Of
tle pubic free schools, brought out an
advocate IN the person of representa-
i've from the Webster School union.
VINO asked that the sum set aside 1919
250, be left intact 1t was little enough
ne contended, and any reduction could
only be viewed in the light of a cal
amity.
Inc sixteenth item under which head
was included $4,000 for an extension to
the Ih1rd street bridge brought yigor
Gus protest from A H. Lindeke who
eontended that it was unnecessary. He
did not think property in that locality
would be benefited by this improve
ment sr
From representative of the Second
Ward Improvement club voice was
raised in its favor and the item was al
lowed to stand the vote in its favor
being to f.
Some spirited debate ensued when the
item relating to the public library fund
was reached, the participants being A.
n Llndeke, Norman Fetter and Presi-
dent Young and Director Seymour. of the
library board.
DOUBLE TAXATION ALLEGED.
Messrs. Lindel1e and Fetter were OPP
posed to the item which appropriated
$5S,z60 for the payment of contractors
for work done in the reconstruction of
the library building. It was not a legal
debt, they commended 1t would be an
act compelling taxpayers to pay double
for the work. This construction. Mr..
Llndeke explained by showing how be-
fore the appointment of the present
board his firm had placed it's name on
subscription list for $780, the amount
to be used IN paying off this debt. When
the money was paid there was stipu-
lalon that If $4,000 was not raised the
amount would be returned. The amount
was not raised, nor was the money ever
returned, and with vehemence. he added,
IF this appropriation is passed I mean
to have it. 1t is double taxation and is
Illegal. will not stand for it,
MIR. Fetter, who followed, was of q
like frame Of mind, and intimated that
the adoption OF this appropriation would
call Tor resort to the courts for an in
junction, if necessary. 'If the contracts
are paid this money should be refund
ed" be said. We intend to get this
money back IL that appropria ton is
passed. When any committee has eX-
ceeded It's statutory limitations in the
way OF expenditures, 1t should be COM
pelled to go down in its own pockets for
the difference. If that fails, the law
should be invoked
President Young said he was sorry that
the discussion had arisen. These deb.s,
ne SAID, must be paid, and to repudiate
them would be a public disgrace. He
was aware of the fact that Mr.. Indexes
nrm had paid 5000 with a string attached
10 II. -Four such agreements were made,
but of the $1,000 paid in by popular sub
scription, they were the only ones OBJ
tanned in this manner. The remainder
OF the money was secured without ary
IeSulcuon AS a finale, Mr.. Young re-
marked that if the appropriation was re-
FUSED the present board would be COM
PEELED to resign, as there would be no use
OF library, or library board.
REST WAS EASY.
The discussion waxed warm for a lew
minutes, but hull coming. the president
took advantage of the fact and the bal