Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-05-20

| last night, and for once all the alder
men were present at roll call. Mayor
White was present and presided.
The minutes OF the previous meet
ing were read and approved
The resolution appropriating $4,000
to pay time warrants dut May 10.
1904. and passed on May 4. 1903. was
returned by Mayor White with his
veto attached Alderman Boyce
moved that the veto be not sustained
and the motion was adopted.
Mayor White made talk on the
veto matter after calling Alderman
Riley to the chair He spoke at
length against the present system of
financing the city's affairs by provid-
ing for the payment of time warrants
so far in advance of maturity. He
was sharply answered by Aldermen
| Boyce and We'll.
Gen White in substance said: 81
have disaproved this resolution for
the reasons stated, and they come
more forciby to me the further l
| lars worth of goods the city buys it
pays q premium of ten per cent. over
any other person buying the same
article in this same market and eV-
cry dollar the city pays must pay the
inevitable tribute of ten per cent,
and | can see no necessity therefor
The city now has an available cash
| revenue Gf approximately $50 ,OO0 and
why should its employees and others
be required to pay this ten per cent?
! Not one dollar of debt is due until
some time in September, 1903, and
why not take $4,000 of this vast
cash amount and appropriate the same
to the permanent Improvement of the
streets. Every dollar Of the city's
debt has already been provided for
in such a manner as to be easily car
ried, and then why is it that this
money shall be boarded and allowed
to accumulate in the treasury. when
| it could be used in necessary per
manent improvement? There is not
an individual business in this com.
munity that could last under such
lice department They more than
earn their pay over each month an
amount equal to their salaries. This
money must be paid into the treas
ury and the men who have SO earned
| the same suffer a discount of ten per
cent. Under this system an octopus
has fastened itself upon the public,
sue king the very life blood out of it.
The proposition. briefly stated, is
this: The city has the money and
has immediate use for it upon the
streets and all cOncede the sum
should be used for this purpose. The
council thinks it should be applied to
the payment of debts accruing from
Sentember. 1908, until May, 1904. /
take it for granted that we are all
interested in the welfare of the city
and want to do what is for the best.
We have tried the system in vogue
for ten years, and the ten per cent.
still stays with us. There has been
no improvement in our condition ply,
sically or financially, and I think that
some other plan might be tried for
few months. and if it is not sue
cess, then trv some other, and If 1t is
found that we must return to the
ten PEI ceat. plan. then we can &c
back to it. I want to say that | am
opposed to the present plan of oper-
atin~ tie street department. If we
con do nothing and can get no money
for ro~c1sn ut street improvement.
then we should stop this $500 to $500
o-'ro-,~o@ m the street department of
the city"
A motion was made by Alderman
Boyce that w b. Alexander be in
vited to make an address. He spoke
on the scrip question and said that