The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-14
PUBLIC SUPPORT.

Without specific authority from the qualified
voters of st. Louis the municipality cannot Issue
bonds, as has been proposed, for carrying on certain
necessary and important public Improvements. Dill
Ion and Hubbard, experts on municipal law, have in
formed Mayor Wells and City Counselor Bates that
the Charter must be amended before the issue can be
authorized.
1t is probably safe to conclude that, in the course
of events, this law firm would be the final recourse
of financiers and prospective investors Of the East
for expressions as to the validity of any bonds which
this city might put on sale. Therefore the opinion
virtually makes it necessary for the city 10 be on the
conservative side and submit the proposition to the
people at a special election.
Under the constitutional amendment by which the
city acquired authority to increase its bonded indebt-
edness, 81, 997, 27S.3O was excluded from the debt
proper, thus leaving the city free to incur a further
obligation Of SS.904,0O0. 1t seems, however, that,
while about S12,0OO,000 was excluded from computa-
ton in the public debt proper, no specific authority
was invested in the city to increase the municipal
debt.
In the opinion of Dillon and Hubbard, as, reported
in interviews from New York, the difficulty, may be
remedied by means of 4 Charter amendment. 1t is
unfortunate that delay in beginning the projected
public work is encountered; yet it is fortunate, on the
other hand, that the method of relief is 30 simple
and ready.
The voters of this city approved the constitutional
amendment, as well as several fundamental Charter
amendments, and they may safely be relied upon to
adhere to their progressive policy. The people could
not afford to ignore this opportunity for great adj
vancement, as the improvements contemplated are
not only very important, but really urgent.
What course Mayor Wells will follow is not yet
known. But he will, as he always does, take the
course that Is safest and best for the city. In this
case he and his chief assistants will have to act with
diSnatch nc tho work chould no fpichodf nc cooD oS
possible.
If 4 Charter amendment Is deemed essential, then
the voters should ratify any good proposition along
this line. The money is needed, as the Mayor has
already stated, for putting the public buildings III
better condition and for constructing necessary sanl-
tary sewers. As has been frequently shown, it would
be economical for the city to make an investment of
this sort, in order to get rid of petty yet expensive
and wasteful extravagances that dig deeply into
public funds.
The proposed bond issue is more important to the
progress of the city than even revision Of the City
Charter: more important than the spring election;
more important than the selection and election Of the
Charter revision commission. Mayor Wells rightly
says that the city can manage to get along in some
fashion with the present Charter, but that Il cannot
advance without adequate funds for necessary public
improvements.
The voters should, and undoubtedly will, come to
the Mayors support in this matter. They trust him,
and they realize that the bond issue is necessary.
They will follow the spirit of progress that has
brought credit on st. Louis during the past few years
and keep on with the plans for the New st. Louis. If
the bonds cannot be issued the projected public i'm
provements will have to be abandoned. If n Charter
Is essential in order to authorize the bond
issue. let us not delay. The proposed public improve
ments are imperatively necessary.