The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-11
WEDNESDAY, NOV. II, 1903.
KEEP Down TAXES.

The list of proposed additions to the
city budget presented by the comptrol-
Ter is a long and growing one. There
is not a department of the city govern
ment which has not it's demands to
make From $4,000 to 100000 addi-
tional are asked here and there, and
always with an elaborate and appar-
emily complete justification.
If any considerable portion of these
requests are to be complied with, the
estimate of the comptroller must be
raised by several hundred thousand
dollars, and the prospects of a reduc-
ton in the tax levy will go glimmering.
This is exactly what is likely to hap
pen unless public opinion is brought
to bear strongly on the question, and
so fully and firmly expressed that
members of the conference committee
and the city council will feel compelled
to keep within the limits of the orig
inal estimate.
We do not deny that many of the
sums asked but not carried by the
estimate could be spent to public adj
vantage as proposed. 1t is just as
true that there is no merchant doing
business in st. Paul today who would
not be benefited in some ways If he
were to put $4,000 more cash capital
into his business. He does not do so
because the disadvantages of such ex-
penditure and the charges that it
would impose are greater than any pos
sible compensating gain. 1t is just as
true of our city finances. We need lots
of things. We should have more build
ings and sewers and bridges and pleas
ure grounds and fire protection and a
dozen other desirables. We should not
have them at the cost of so burdening
our citizens and taxpayers that they
cannot live and thrive here.
The first question to be considered,
the first point to be settled is the tax
rate. Our people have carried enormous
taxes for many years. They have paid
out these great sums always with the
look toward hopeful future. High
taxes have not only imposed Individual
hardships, not only in many cases
wiped out property and ruined it's
aforetime owners but they have great
ly retarded business progress. Men
do not branch out into new or larger
enterprises and capital does not will
ingly locate itself where the tax rate
is much above the municipal average.
relief is now in sight. By a careful
and economical administration of af-
fairs the tax rate in st. Paul has been
reduced, and a further and material
reduction is possible. 1t must be real
lied
Let the proposed tax rate stand. Let
there be no log rolling combination
by which one mans schemes shall go
through on condition of support to the
scheme of another. Our people will not
forget or forgive a failure to lower the
tax rate. No improvements or facin-
ties can make UP to them for failure in
that particular. They will not have 1t.
Authority to issue additional bonds
has been secured and the bonds have
been disposed of just in order that the
burdens of the present day might be
1ightened a little. If that should not be
done it would be a wrong, a scandal
and a disgrace. We call upon every
representative of the city who has any
share in recommending or fixing the
amount of the final appropriation to
vote against any proposition which
would require larger tax rate than