The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-11


REDUCTION OF THE TAX LEVY.
MY feIIow-taxpayers. look at this record
and study IL well. Ask yourself between
now and the 18th of October IL your own In
terests do not demand ascontinuance OF the
policy which has accomplished this result
We have been economical in the past, and
/ pledge to the people Of Indianapolis that
we shall continue economical TO the end
If now have one ambition greater than
another il is to have the people OF lnulan-
apolis say at the expiration OF my aomin-
lstration that their affairs nave peeh az
ministered in the interests of those VINO
bear the burden OF taxation, and not tnose
who consume the taxes. Indianapolis snail
continue debt-paying city, and not oniy
shall debt-paying policy continue. out
call your attention TO the further and more
important fact which now advance for the
first time, and feel that II Is particularly
fitting that IL should for the first time
be advanced, that as the result OF TINS
economy not only have we accomplished
these things. but as an additional result me
succeeding year viii see the tax levy iaio
upon the people for city purposes educed
to - cents upon the 500. compared with
81 cents during the past year. With TINS
reduction the continued advancement ana
development of Indianapolis shall not cease.
This levy Is not being reduced for campaign
purposes and temporary debts incurred 70
meet the necessities occasioned by the re-
duction, but the reduction comes TO you
as an absolute relief, the improved finan-
cial cOn0ltiOn OF lne city making IL pos.
-sible for us to gvie this reduction and stiu
continue to pay those obligations which are
properly charge against the current rev.
enues from the general fund. as we have
done during the past year. and not incur
either bonded or temporary loans.
INTERURBANS AND PARKS.
But what else have we done for the city
of Indianapolis? Go TO the corner Of ILL.,
nois and Market streets and see the prep
arations there being made for the construc-
ton of the greatest interurban terminal sta
ton in the world; and see the hundreds OF
thousands of dollars there being expended
to provide a proper home for the interur-
ban railroads, and as you look remember
that this structure was secured by this ad-
ministration without the SURRENDER OF the
car tax, which some Of our Independent
critics insulated were ANXIOUS TO DO.
81 ask YOU to go to the corner OF Market
and Alabama streets, on that bar. en- spot.
cold as Labrador III winter ana not az
Tophet in summer. and see the naKmncens
market houses constructed by this admin
istration, anu i ask then Wfether TINS ad-
ministration has had ar eye Single 10 the
growth and development CT Indianapolis
and the welfare of its citizens.
II cal your attenuon TO the acton ct
the City Council on iast Moncay night:
| administration the first step was taken to-
ward the construction of that most ossen-
| tlal adjunct to our park system, coIrpre-
tention to the fact thas practically all OF
| the work &c be done in the immediate fu-
| ture as the result OF this councilmansc ac-
| ton. practically all Of the work TO De zone
| north of Washington street, will be done in
| the Fourth ward But this only marks the
commencement. This form OF development
must concnue until Indianapolis enjoys That
which Detroit enjoys to-day, system OF
boulevards reaching all sections of the city
| and bensfiting all citizens alike.
Il call your attention also TO the action OF
! the Common Council last Monday night
| when, as a result of the initiative OF the
present administration, an appropriation
| creek. at Northwestern avenue, a bridge
| which will not only make this crossing
| safe, but which will be commensurate with
the wants. the needs. the demands and
the rights of this beautiful portion OF IN
| dianapolis.
ECONOMY THE POLICY.
"'Oh. but say the critics. these things
you are securing by bond issues and you
are not entitled to credit for them
advance the proposition that these improve
ments-market houses, boulevards and
bridges-being built as much for posterity
as for the present population are properly
to be charged to bond issues; but not one
dollar of bond issues have made and
expended in the fire department or in i'm
proving public buildings. to make peces-
sary repairs, nor to pay current expenses;
and even though bond issues have made
these improvements possible. II has also
| been the economy Of this administration
that has made the bond Issues possible,
as the debt Of the city Of Indianapolis
OF this administration was within a few
thousand doliars-fve, / believe-of the
per cent. constitutional limit, and not only
have been benefited by the increased
value Of the tax duplicate, but the ability
OF the city to secure money for these re-
quired improvements. which are properly
Lob ~ 1ra0f n-d foGr md Grr
have safe margin against unforseer
emergencies, has come through the fac
that by our economy $4,000 OF the bonded
debt existing at the time we took con
troll OF the city of Indianapolis has beer
discharged, thus giving the city So, 00
more financial leeway, and thus enabling
us to make these improvements.
1.-The franchise record of this administers
ton requires no defense and / intend Il
offer none. 1t speaks for itself and at M
time in connection with any franchise,
granted by this administration, other thar
the vile insinuations OF malicious enemy
insinuation which vanished into thin ali
when put to the touch in court of 1ustic,
at no time has there been a breath Of
scandal connected with these grants.
COAL ROADS LET IN
eve brought to Indianapolis the Indian
apolis Southern Railroad. tapping the vir
gin coal fields Of southern Indiana. w,
brought the nine ten interurban rail
roads into indianapolis, tapping every city
and town of any Importance within
radius Of seventy-ive miles. We brough
into existence two competing hot water
heating and electric lighting companies
making ii possible for indianapolis tS
secure honest competition in granting the
contract for public lighting. We brought
into the city Of Indianapolis the Indianapo-
lie, Logansport & Chicago Railroad, tap
ping new territory to the north and wes
of indianapolis, opening a new field for the
MANUFACTURED, the merchant and the job
Der OF our city and guaranteeing the I'm
provement and development of hundreds OF
acres OF waste land along White river souts
OF Riverside Park, land which has, owinl
to its condition, been for years the caus,
OF depreciation of values of every othel
piece of property adjacent thereto.
Oh say the critics, in granting the tw,
railroad franchises you did not secure ele
waited tracks The interests OF indianapolis
demanded that We secure these railroads
and, i submit, would any administration
have been justified In refusing TO permit
them to come in unless they came upon ele
waited tracks. when no power existed. ne
authority existed, when no one knew ant
hence no one could prescribe just what ele
walton should obtain? / thought IL bettel
then-I think IL better noY-that these rail
roads, aiding In the growth and develop
ment of Indianapolis they do, should b'
permitted To come in upon the same terms
as other railroads. with the provision tina
whenever track elevation does come TO sucl
other roads. that the new lines shall ele
yate merely upon the order OF the Board o.
| Public Works and without the right TO ap
| peal to the courts.
Track elevation has been an issue in In
dianapolis. Track elevation. no one cal