Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-03-21
REVIEW
Of the Proxy System Is Given by
MIR. lSbeIl.

Mr.. Isbell, the nominee for Mayor,
was called for and also made few
remarks.
'the Fire and Water committee de,
cided that the best thing they could
do would be to build a few more fire
stations They figured up the expenses
and estimated that they could build
engine houses in North. East, South
and West Akron, and equip the snmc
for an expenditure. of1About Ss5, 600.
Wen, the Board has poI@ ahead, and
issued bonds for $67n0o by virtue OF
II special act of the Legislature which
did not require the peoples approval.
The Board has spent SCI 900 of the
SGT 900 which it was estimated would
he sufficient to build all four of the
engine houses and equip the same,
and what has been accomplished
Only two of the houses have been
built and only $1,000 remains with
which to build the two remaining
houses aud equip all four of the new
houses with needed appliances. The
only equipment which the Commits,
Sionprs now have on hand for the
stations already built is II fire engine,
and II was purchased at n cost several
hundred dollars in excess of what n
Mansfield company agreed to furnish
II sarvicenhle engine for, The blunder
of the commissioners In permitting
the option for the purchase of the
site for the West Hin station to be
changed after II had been closed, re,
suited in the loss of a thousand dol
lars to the taxpayers. This gentle,
men. is fair sample of the way the
city's business has been administered
by the commissioners. venture to
predict that il will cost the taxpayers
more than II hundred thousand dollars
before the North hin and South Ak,
ron stations are built and equipped
About four wears ago, before the
Proxy system was put into operation
by Judge Anderson, when men like
Mr., Buchtel, Mr.. Hugill and Mr..
Baker We're in charge, there was no
deficit In the city'S finances because
the Commissioners would not contract
expenditures In excess of the city's
revenues, Today, after four years OF
Proxy administration, your city has
been run $4,000 in debt to pay for
the mismanagement by your city
Commissioners, aud TO pay the salar'
les of your increased police force
your increased fire force, and youl
Increase of the street department by
making room for political hench
men. The general running expenses
OF your city were S20,O00 more this
year than last, and the deficit in the
treasury Is by that much larger, The
deficit of the last year is due largely
to the increase of the police force by
Is men, who, for the most part, re
ceived their appointment as reward
for political services rendered tc
Judge Anderson. Thus It is quite cleal
to the people from what source tho
Judge derives his political power,NH'
promises places To his lfeutenants II
exchange for their political services
and then makes the taxpayers pay
his obligations. The keystone of hi'
power is patronage, and IL the peoph
increase his power by giving to him thu
control of the office of Mayor, they
must expect a continuation of tho
burdens of which they are now com
planning,
"My friends, tire condition of Ak
ron's treasury is such that We're som'
public spirited citizen To give the cit,
$4,000, and for six months not on
cent should he paid out by the city II
salaries or any of its current running
expenses, at the end of that time th'
city would be Just even. Remembe
that these figures do not include an
part of money expended upon any o
the city's special improvements.
These improvements have bsel
taken care OF In the form OF interest