Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-04-23
the CITY FINANCES.

the CITY FINANCES.
The Gazette INDUCES in q pitiable
whine because people of the village
have had the temerity to openly ques-
ton the "rigid economy" OF the last
city council. The only argument ad-
vanced to show that those who criti-
else are wrong in their contention is
that the administration is composed of
the most reputable people of the city
while it is plainly intimated that those
who find fault are of questionable
order. This argument may be effec
tive upon persons predispos I'd to be-
lieve every statement published in the
Gazette; ordinary mortals would have
been more readily convinced by fg-
ures showing the falsity of the claims.
The administration should pay no at
tention to mere rumors, particularly
If they are false. No decent person
in public life need do so. It is with
the facts that the public is concerned.
The finance committee authorized q
statement showing the city as having
81, 638.88 in the treasury over all liza.
bilities at the close of the fiscal year.
The editor of the TRIBUNE, with
others, believed that those figures did
not show the true financial condition
OF the city at the time, and we submit
ted the figures on which our belief was
established. The Gazette does not
attempt to refute those figures, because
they are based on facts. Outside of
the figures, our statement was conserv-
vative, much too conservative it has
since developed. Thanks to the new
members of the council, the city audi
tor will thoroughly investigate and
gather up all claims outstanding
against the city and render a state
ment of the same to the council. We
are willing to abide by that statement
when it is fled and approved by the
council. If it shall show that there
are substantially &4,638.8S in the
treasury after the bills contracted by
the last administration are paid we
will publicly apologize for our state
ment. If on the other hand the audi
tor finds deficit, the finance commit
tee of the last administration will be
proven guilty of having attempted to
deceive the citizens of the village on
the eve of the city election. If this is
"narrow-minded unfairness," make
the most of it.
On March rs the TRIBUNE made this
statement: "The people of the city are
getting tired of the wanton proaigacy
that continues to heedlessly spend
money without regard to income. We
wish hereby to retract the term swan
ton proaigacy'' and substitute the
words "reckless extravaganza" in
the place thereof. While the terms in
the connection used mean the same
thing, the former can be construed to
impute more serious charge, which
we had no intention of making. We
reassert however that the past admin
istration was recklessly extravagant
and that appropriations were made
that were not legal. The Gazette tries
to show that as lorg as the money
was spent on improvements it was not
lost and hence it would not make any
difference how much was spent. The
amount that might be spent for desir-
able improvements is clearly unlimi-
ted, and it il just as clear that there
is reasonable limit. Whether run
ming into debt for improvements is
justifable or not depends upon the ma
ture and urgency of the same. To ap-
propriate money for q lot of things
DOT urgently required and then run
into debt for necessary improvements
is not justi6able.