The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-09
1854, 1OS. 20 1884. 800. "A
reaSa Mr. MCCordv SAID In

Ine increase, MT. McCardy said, in
round numbers. was 1909, figure that
could not be disputed.
AS an interested spectator at the meet
ing of the county commissioners during
the compiling of the budget Mr. Nc
Cardy was constrained to air his views.
and this he did. bearing heavily on the
fact that the increase was a radical one.
st Paul, he said, contributed over So
per cent of the taxes for the maintenance
OF the county, and any increase on the
part of the city expenditures would pro7c
a burden. He intimated that a few
amendments to the city charter might
remedy matters, while special legislation,
to the end of consolidating the city ana
county governments, would do more than
assist in the needed reform.
Mr.. McCardy's talk was received IN
silence, but the finish found several ready
with reply, among those being PresI~
dent Warner, of the fire board and Presi-
dent Haas of the police commission.
They were not at all pleased at the irti-
nation that extravaganza existed in their
departments, and said that the end of the
year would show who was right and
who was wrong.
Mr.. McCardy resented the mputation
that he was criticizing, and in answer
to a question, stated that he had moth
ing to say except that figures are fig
ures"
City Engineer CIaussen, whose street
and sewer and bridge repair fund showed
a heavy outlay, said he had no excuses
to offer. He, like all the others, had a
certain appropriation and certain d.
mands upon it, and as long as he did
not go beyond 1t, no criticism was neues-
sary.
A call for adjournment cut out any
further argument, but 1t did not prevent
a general informal discussion on Mr..
McCardy's statement that retrenchmcnt
was necessary. 1t was a case Of whore
the watchdog had stepped on dan
gerous ground, and prolongation OF the
meeting might have brought forth things
better left unsaid
How seriously Mr. McCardys "hearr
to heart" talk was taken is shown BY
the remarks of one of the heads OF a
department made after the meeting
broke up.
Mr.. McCardy is simply casting d 20.
itical anchor to WindWaTd The fact that
the expenditures for six months this year
show an increase over last year Is no
argument that the departments are be
coming eXtravagant, or even drifting to
the verge OF such. The city is not ac-
countable for what the county does. 10
be possibly extravagant ST. Paul has
double the population that she had ten
years ago, and 1t is only natural that
her expenses should increase. The street
improvements this year are greater than
they have been since 1893. As for the school
board, the first new buildings erected In
ten years VIII be put up this year. It's
a case OF the population increasing. AID
the expenditures, as a matter of course,
keeping pace. If you viii notice, the ap-
proprIations demanded by the school
board for next year are greater than last
Even they are insufficient.
MIR. McCardy can pose as the watch
dog Of the treasury IL he wants to, bar
1 think the taxpayers generally realize
the situation, and no statement from h.rn
is necessary. 1 commend many Of The
reforms that he has instituted but the
cry of wolf IS unnecessary"