The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-12

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outside sources and pay interest on the
same?'
In answer to this question, will ask you,
Mr.. Taggart. if you did not use the money
borrowed for bridge purposes to pay cur
rent expenses; and by such use If you did
not lead the people Of indianapolis 10 be-
lieve that YOU had a balance in the city
treasury at the time you adopted the 81
cent levy, when. as a matter of fact. def
icit actually existed; did you not continue
to use this money and deny that you were
doing until the refusal of the Republican
Council TO vote further bonds for fire de-
and City Hospital purposes IN the
spring of 1900 compelled YOU TO confess that
such funds had been so used and 70 ask
Tor temporary loans 10 make 5000 TINS
bridge money, and then and not unIll
then, did you claim that 1t was legitimate
exercise of the rights of the city govern
ment to make use Of such specially Dor
roWed funds2 In reference TO my manage
ment OF a surplus, l would most respect
fully suggest that in view of the condl-
ton in which you will leave the city treas
ury at the close Of your term of office, my
time can be more profitably spent I'm study
ing some manner of handling a deficit.
You do not mean to say To the people or
indianapolis, do you, that YOU at any time
had a surplus in the city treasury after the
nrst day OF September. 1899. except for
about fOrty-eight hours after the first day
of December and June of each year, when
the taxes were made available in a settle
ment with the city treasurer?
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
''7 Mr.. Bookwalter says he is i'm favor
of the continuation of public improve
ments, and that the people that pay for
them should have a voice in determining
their kind and character. Does he mean
for a certain kind of Improvement shall
have the kind of improvement they de-
sire? If not. what does he mean by "a
voice in determining the natter
In answer to this question. l would say
that should I be elected the people of In
dianapolis will be spared the disgraceful
scenes connected with the letting of the
paving contracts on North Meridian and
North West streets, matters which are
still fresh in the minds of every student OF
city affairs
USE OF PUBLIC MONEY.
49, Mr. Bookwater says that public
money has been eXtravagantly and reck-
lessly used. VIII he please state where
a dollar of public money has been misap-
propriated or wrongfully used?'
In answer to this question. Mr.. Taggart,
would ask if you remember the time when
you spent thousands of dollars of the peo-
pies money, just prior 10 a city election,
scraping the channel of Pogue's run, and
then. allowing the dirt taken therefrom to
lie upon the bank and to be washed back
into the channel at the first rain? Have
you failed TO observe the pay rolls or the
street commissioners department Just prior
to the city elections of 1897 and 1879 ana
the general elections of 1896, 1893 and 1900,
when thousands of dollars more were
squandered in useless work upon unim-
proved streets, work undertaken for no
other purpose than to hold in line waver-
ing voters who could not be reached in any
other way? Do you have any recollection
Of how a S., 500 contagious disease fund was
spent in 1897 in two weeks? Why, If the
money was not wrOngfully used, did you
refuse to allow the horde that fed on this
but had them paid outside of the city Of
fees? Was it not for fear of the newspa-
pers?
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
80. Mr.. Bookwalter charges that the
financial management of the city has been
CANT and reckless, and L would ask
him whether indianapolis does not rank
as the twenty-frst city in the United
States, and if the report Of the United
States Bureau of Labor at Washington.
for September, 1900, does not show that its
per capita cost of government is the low
est of any of the thirty leading cities of
the United States?"
In answer to this question, Mr.. Taggart,
1 would ask if you do not know that the
figures upon which the report of the Bu-
reau of Labor were based included, in so far
as other cities of the same class as Indian
apolis are concerned, large proportion of
the cost of permanent improvements and
repair of streets, and the construction of
other public works, which charges in this
city are levied directly against the abut-
ting property owners, and a result of
this condition an apparent low per capita
cost of government is shown IN Indianap-
oils; and has not the major portion of the
expense of repairing and improving the
streets been paid by the companies laying
such rOadways under their time guaranty
TO the city, and thus did not enter into the
estimate of the expense of management OF
city affairs? Do not the other cities include
in their estimates the cost of warehouses;
and penal institutions, water works main
tenance. schools and other items which are
not included in the estimate for the city of
Indianapolis?
APPROPRIATION OF MONEY.
10. Mr.. Bookwalter charges that the
city has been eXtravagant in expenditures
VIII he point 10 dollar that has been ex-
pended, except in pursuance of appropria-
tons for such expenditures made by the
republican Common Council?"
In answer TO this question, 1 would ask
you If it is not fact that all appropria-
lions are made by the Council in a lump
sum and are expended by your boards
without the necessity of reporting TO any
other body, and are not such appropria-
tons, when once made. absolutely under
their control, and beyond the power OF the
Council TO regulate?
DEFAULTING OF BONDS.
I'll. Was it due to ignorance. or willful
desire TO misrepresent that Mr.. Bookwal-
ter said that 100000 Of bonds of this city
were defaulted" Does he know that no
bonds or the city, at any time. under any
administration, were ever defaulted, and
that the city could never have enjoyed the
splendid credit ii now has if such thing
had taken placer
1t was a trihe unfortunate for you, Mr.
Taggart, that on the day following the
propounding of this question Mr.. Woollen
controller under Mr. Sullivan, admitted
through the columns Of the indianapolis
Sentinel, that there had been a default. but
apOlogized for il on the ground that il was
merely a technical default. Let me quote
from the report of Mr.. WoOllen, submitted
to the Common Council a short time after
this transaction, and then answer me, II
you can, as to whether or not such con-
ditiOn constituted default Of city Obiga-
tons? IL such default was not made, why
were the taxpayers penalized 10 the extent
of One-half OF ] per cent in order that the
financial honor and credit OF the city
might be protected? Why was this bonus
paid TO the New York Life Insurance Com
pany unless il was TO induce them 10 stand
between the city and its unpaid creditors?
/ quote you from Mr.. WoOllen's communi-
cation:
ION the 26th day OF May last OS93) the
city controller awarded 10 Coffin x Stanton.
of New York, SSH COZ of the citys AZ per
cent. thirty-year refunding bonds at par;
they having made the highest offer for
them of any Of the bidders. They deposited
with the Merchants National Bank, Of this
city. 10 the credit OF the city Sl050, for
which the bank issued 10 the city her Ger
tiiicate OF deposit. in regular form, pay
able 70 the order of the city treasurer. TE.~
deposit was made 10 insure the taking OF
the bonds By Coffin x Stanton, and the
amount was to forfeit 70 the city In case