The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-25
THE OsTLY BRANCH OF GOVERN
MENT.

The Merchants Club of Chicago recently
held a symposium TO consider municipal af-
fairs. one of the speakers. who is a city
official. said that 1.-THE average citizen takes
no interest in public affairs and few have
any adequate understanding of the ma
chinery of municipal government" So far
as public affairs in general are concerned.
most people take little interest. Voters
are usually interested in general elections,
but rarely is a full vote polled in municipal
elections. Whatever general interest there
is is connected with candidates and patron
age. Many if not most men who vote in
municipal elections do so from the habit of
voting party tickets. Yet, all in all. the
government of the city and township comes
nearest the people. AL but a small frac-
ton of taxation goes to the support of local
government The tax imposed by the State
for all purposes is 291z cents on each 500
OF taxables. indianapolis pays a tax of 30
cents on each 800 for schools alone.
The levy for city purposes this year is "
cents. for city schools so cents. for county
3S 1-3 cents and for township 2 cents
Sl-O- - lOI city COUNTY anu lOWHS4lp, "
which % is for city and for city schools.
The total tax on each 800 rs $1.92 on a full
valuation of the property. 1t is the highest
general levy ever put upon this city. These
figures do not include the taxation for
sewers and street improvements, which
have cost the taxpayers a large amount
during the past ten years. In 1895 city and
school expenditures were only "a cents; this
year they are s1.22-an increase of almost
80 per cent. i'm six years. During the same
period the bonded debt has been increased
$3.50, 900, exclusive of the last loan.
Municipal expenditure is the only public
expenditure hat is increasing with the
years. The levy has been increased from 60
TO Y cents the past year. yet it is doubtful
if the increased levy will bring sufficient
revenue to meet the growing expenditure.
Nevertheless. few people seem TO take
much interest in the increasing taxation.
Few seem to think that it is really worth
while to try to learn if this increasing ex-
penditure is necessary or if the great tax
imposed is expended on business principles.
And yet if people were most interested in
the branch of government which costs
them most more interest would be taken
in municipal affairs than in national. Ex-
cept at campaign times no one discusses
municipal affairs, and during campaigns
the discussion is rather fault-hnding. There
is no rational inquiry into expenditure or
it's methods. But for the patronage, only
a small number would take much interest
in municipal elections. Those really most
interested do not take an active part in the
selection of candidates for the Council. The
result is that all over the country councils
are the most unsatisfactory bodies, and
many of them are positively corrupt.
In several cities taxpayers have organ
lied civic declarations with a view of attain
ing more satisfactory results in cite. for
the money expended. In some cities such
organizations have melted discussion that
has aroused attention. indianapolis and
other cities nave no end of clubs, but has
any city an organization devoted to the re-
form OF the methods of municipal govern
ment2