Evening journal., 1903-04-02
Remain Indifferent.


Council has authority TO force matters
and compel the'collectors 10 be more ener@
Eetic IN their work, but why don't they do
D." said a ciuzen this morning. "rher
rontinued indifference in the matter does
not bode we'll for their popnlarltv ana
hands TO exasDerate the people"
councilmen say that at the beginning-of
The present fiscal year they expected q
receive about $4,000 from the Water De-
plrtment and the city tax collectors which
Jailed 70 materialize. Whose fault is Il
HAT theNd dld not receive the sum expected
rom the collectors OF outstanding taxes
the question asked. From a present
tandpolnt it looks as II they have only
emselves TO blame.
Tho chances OF getting any financial as
istance from the Water Department nt
he time the budget for the present year
'as made up were questionable. and
herefore some provision should have been
nade in case no assistance was received
rom that source providing for such an
Emergency. Had the city taxes been col
bicted, however, as should have been done
Everything would have come out right and
hat Is where tho whole fault Hes
Not Extraordinary Occasion.
Council could have requested a state
ment from the Water Department OF
the probable amount OF the balance to
be received. If this had been done.
Council would not have jumped IN the
dark. When the appropriations were
gone over last May money was set
aside TO pay the interest on the bonds.
The question is being asked why the
money appropriated was not expended
| for this purpose. Council was lax In
its duty and the occasion which now
confronts the city cannot be called an
extraordinary occasion. The passage
OF an act by the Legislature increasing
the salaries OF the police officers was
extraordinary. Affairs similar to this
over which Council had no control are
the only things for which Council can
make extraordinary appropriations.
i Claim Action Was illegal.
Members Of Council contend that coun-
Il can borrow money on extraordinary oc-
asions, but few people think that this wns
n extraordinary occasion. They base
heir argument on section 65 OF the city
harter, referring the matter. which
Seads as follows:
The fiscal year OF tho City Of wil-
mington shall hereafter begin on the
first day OF July. The Council shall.
on or before the first stated meeting In
May an each year. cause 70 be pre-
pared and laid before them estimates
of the probable revenue and expenses
of tho city for the ensuing year. and
an ordinance shall be passed at the
last stated meeting in May Of each
year making appropriations for the ex-
K pcnses Of the ensuing fiscal year,
based, as nearly as may be- upon the
said estimates. and the appropriations
shall be specified and arranged under
the heads or items designated in tho
Sail estimates.
The expenditures for the year under
an.S head or item OF appropriation,
shs n not exceed such head or item OF
appropriation. and upon any such item
or head OF appropriation becoming ex-
hausted, then all expenditures under
such head or item shall cease. and It
shall not be lawful to pass any ordi-
nance or resolution, to transfer 20
said exhausted item or head OF ap-
preparation from any other ltern OF
head of appropriation. except such
transfer be first approved by the Fin
anee Committee and ordered by two
thirds vote Of the Council. nor shall
y be lawfuLat any time to charge bllls
belonging TO one Item or head OF appro-
priasion 10 any other item or head OF
: appropriation. Provided. however. that
should some extraordinary occasion
occur. not anticipated at the passage
CONTINUED on sixth Pagel.