The St. Louis Republic., 1901-10-12

Robert Moore. civil engineer. who wa:
one of the most vigorous and active oppo
nents of the Charter amendments proposed
In 1895, is one Of the enthusiastic support
ers Of the amendments prepared by the
Public Welfare Commission. which are tc
. be submitted to vote October %.
| While the amendments now proposed
! are based the same suggestions made
/ by the Charter Commission under Mayor
/ Walbridge." he said yesterday, the new
amendments are SO safeguard rded and so
{ freed from objectionable features that they
are. In effect. different throughout.
| In considering the amendments which
are to be voted on in a few days" he con-
t!nued. I'VE should first look squarely at
the situation which now confronts the city
of ST. Louis.
NO MONEY AND NOT EVEN
THE RIGHT TO RAISE MONEY.
AS matters now stand. the city's income
is inadequate for absolutely necessary cur
rent expenses. and the citizens even IL
they We're unanimous In desiring to in
crease the tax, could not do So Tney have
not the legal right to pay for what they
must have and are easily able to pay for
with municipal buildings going TO de-
cay and charitable institutions in A dig
graceful condition. the citizens. even by
unanimous consent. are not now allowed by
law to provide any means of remedying
these faults. since all the general revenue
is absorbed by other imperative demands.
STREETS AND SEWERS IN
LAMENTABLE STATE
Though our streets are In n Iameptah,.
condition. under the present Charter i'm
provements can be made only in a limited
,Inr Of nrG -.
grading. and even when tine amount Of
work to be done is small. there is NOT
enough money In the city treasury to nav
the bill.
While the population OF the CITY is grow
ing rapidly and the thickIv settled areas
are spreading fast. the building of sewers ia
at standstili. because the city has no
means OIL paying Tor the necessary outlets
for the district sewers. Thereby the health
and lives OF our people are irnperiIed and
the city loses heavily through defects in
the system of sewers already built but
now in bad repair.
For these evils. the Public Welfare Com
mission has proposed a remedy in the
Charter amendments. The proposed changes
were only decided upon after long and
careful study. consultation with city au-
thorites. whose standing places them anove
suspicion of partisan motives and advice
from the very best legal authorities in St.
Louis. having IN view always the best in
terests of the people whose welfare. in
dividualiy and as municipal body. Is at
stake.
TO GIVE CITIZENS THE
RIGHT TO TAX THEMSELVES
"One Of the first steps toward betterment
of present conditions Is to give the city
the taxing power to which the Consti;u- |
tion of the State entities it, and which ev-
cry other city in the State enjoys This |
plan, If carried out Will permit the city |
to meet expenses which properly belong 10 /,
the State or county without burdening the /
revnue intended only for city purposes. !
However, the amendment itself will not |
serve to impose an increased tax. but will |;
give the Municipal Assembly power to levy |
an additional tax of IS cents on the 500 |
valuation. known the county tax as |
soon as the necessary amendment to the ,
State Constitution shall have been
adopted.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND !,
WORLDS FAIR BONDS
III the citizens wish to make the city's
buildings better, and more comfortably
house the city's dependents. the proposed
amendments provide that the citizens may
levy a special tax for this purpose If they
choose. This provision also will go into
effect only after an amendment has been
made to the State Constitution. 1t merely
ronfers on the citizens of ST Louis a right
which citizens OF all the rest Of the State