The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-19

* penses OF city government while
ne was mayor in 1885, were greater
q IMAM they were ten years later q
under Mayor Smith, notwIthstand-
Il ing that the city Increased $4,000 =
u In population and millions of dol u
lars In wealth in the ten years be-
q tween. He can get at least some q
fundamental knowledge of city and
T county affairs by casting his eye on =
. the following figures. Let US hope x
that they will render him some
q what less beIIlcose than he Is at q
present: \
T The tax rate under Mayor Wright =
X In 1893 was 20 mills. .
The tax rate under Mayor Smith
q in 1903 was 29.10 mills. q
The valuation put on the
q property of citizens for q
purposes of taxation of
q 1908 U Ter M ayor q
wright was ........ .$124, 731 ,o51
q Under Mayor Smith in q
In 1908 the assessed
Q valuation was ........ go, 9o2, 418 q
ot-t-)o q q q q q 40
If the property of the people Of this citv
was properly valued for taxation purposes
In 1893 at 1924, 7S1, 051 under Mayor
Wright, it is no exaggeration to say,
considering the increase in wealth and
population which had taken place in this.
city since, that proper valuation of their
property Tor the same purposes in 1903
would be much nearer $500, 600 900 than to
$S5 992, 4!S, at which it was estimated.
rms being true, it is plain that tax
rate of 29.10 mills in 1903 is both rela-
lively and absolutely much lower rate
than it was in 1898, when fixed at 20 mills.
MORE FOR THE MONEY.
More than this: The taxpayers were
getting in 1903 out Of their property in
the shape of rents and otherwise Infinitely
more than they got in 1893 and Infinitely
more than is represented by the increase
In the taxes Of 1903 over those of 1893
lake, IN illustration, an actual case of
residence property owned and leased in the
city which can be readily verified:
nlne-room house on which the owner
paid $3.50 in taxes four years ago is now
taxed at $5S. The owner received in rent
" a month, or 1854 a year, four years
ago. Today he receives a rental for the
same property of $50 a month, or $3.50
year. In other words his income from the
property has increased So month or 500
year, while his taxes have only increased
81. 80 year, thus showing a clear gain
his property.
This illustration can be duplicated
hundred times in every section Of this
city. Not only that; but the evidence ex--
lists at every turn that the people are bet
ter able and more willing to pay the taxes
of today than they were either willing or
able TO pay those imposed on them ten
or twelve years ago.
GROWTH AND GOOD GOVERNMENT.
As test of how the city had advanced.
In property values between 1893 and 1903
comparison between the building opera
lions OF the two years tells the story
convincingly: '-- IN.
1S93-BuiIding operations under
1s0sgBuilGing gne operations under . $40 8SS
&
Besides all this is it not true that the
city of St: Paul today has, perhaps the
most efficient system of municipal gov
eminent to be found in any city of the
health and the property, as well as the
general welfare, of the citizens are per-
fectly safeguarded; whereas under Mayor
Wright, In 1893, crime was rampant and
neither the persons nor the property of
the people were secure. Many of the
most important functions of city govern
quate public school system, were wholly
dispensed with or only partially fulfilled.
CITY EXPENSES ARE LESS.
Now, what was the actual amount
raised by taxation in this city in 1899
under Mayor Wright?
1t was, in all. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 494 621
What was the amount raised for the
same purpose under Mayor Smith in 1903?
II was, IN all. ''''............:.. 81, 1876, 179
DlHerence .'................ $240,658
So that there was $24O, 558 more exacted
from the people in taxes IN 1903 than in
: 1888. Here plainly is an increase in the
taxes in ten years of. over $240, 600 under
Mayor Smith over the amount levied and
collected in 1893 under Mayor Wright
Did 1t cost this amount more to paw the
ordinary expenses Of city government un-
der Smith in 1903 than under Wright In
It did nothing of the kind.
On the contrary wa had s52 A19 Lace n
pay ordinary running expenses In 1903
under Smith than we had under Wright
In 1893, since over $29S, 900 was used for
making. permanent improvements, while
not penny was spent under Wright for
municipal betterment
A similar comparison between the or
binary expenses of the city government
under Mayors Doran and Kiefer will show
substantially similar results.