Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-10
JUST LIKE POLITICS
LIVELY CAMPAIGN ON In BALTI.
MORE OVER AN ORDINANCE.
Voters to Declare Themselves on the
Question of SO, ooo, 900 Loan for
Dock Improvements.

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. May t9.-The i36e0O.00o
| dock Improvement loan campaign is on In
| full blast. Meetings are being held nightly.
and literature setting forth the benefit to
accrue from the passage Of the ordinance
| is being sent out to all voters by the Dock
Improvement Association. Headquarters
have been opened and the campaign ID be-
ing directed by the executive committee,
which meets daily and discusses sugges-
lions to interest the voters in the proposed
Improvement.
There Is a strong opposition at work
against the floating of the loan and the
anti-loan campaign is being conducted by
citizens whom Mayor Mclean has publicly
designated as the "mossback element"
They assert that the floating Of the loan
means an increased tax rate. and as this
Is the cry that killed the widening of Ba1ti-
more's streets Mayor Mclean and his adj
visers are leaving no stone unturned to
prove the fallacy of this objection.
No Increase Of Tax Rate.
The dock loan advocates assert that the
passage of the ordinance will not increase
the tax rate one cent. They set forth that
the bonded debt Of Baltimore is approx
mately $50, 900, 600. which is practically Off
set by sinking fund of $21 O00. 600 which
must be applied to the redemption of rapid
ly-maturing bonds.
This leaves to the city q net indebtedness
of $4,000, 600. In the event of the ratifica-
ton of the dock loan the revenue from dock
rentals will more than suffice to pay the
interest, not only on that part Of the loan
the entire S6,OOO0OO
Failure to approve the loan. however must
result In an Increased tax rate. The s. 5OO,-
600 needed for improvements in the burned
hnxya 70 ofeol 49,
rect taxation. instead of having the dock
rentals defray this expenditure.
1t Will also mean a higher tax rate for
some years. as about 100000 must be
spent annually for term of years on the
street improvements. From these figures
1t will be seen that failure to ratify the
dock loan will be net annual loss to the
city exceeding the interest on So 10000 to
say nothing of the loss commercially from
inadequate facilities.
Mayor Favors Progression.
ut would be most unfortunate If the
100000 loan ordinance is voted down."
said Mayor McLane to The Star correspon-
dent this morning. "To kill this loan when
1t comes before the people next Tuesday
would be one of the greatest caIamities
that could happen at this time to strick-
en- city.
Tt would kill the plans for building I'D
and improving the wharves and docks.
Baltimore has no funds which could be APP
piled toward making these greatly needed
improvements. 1t can only be done by the
asserting votes of the people
Il cannot believe" concluded the mayor,
that the people of Baltimore will stand in
the way of progress by defeating the rati-
fication of the loan"
Representative James w. Denny of the
fourth district, in discussing the subject
with The Star correspondent today said:
II am heartily in favor of the $4,000, 900
loan.
Step in the Right Direction.
1t VIII be big step In the right direc-
tion. 1t is fact beyond doubt that the
hoating of this loan for dock improvements
VIII AID In influencing the rivers and har-
DORIS committee Of Congress to report merit
December in favor Of the appropriation
asked to deepen the ship channel.
since 1876 the city of Baltimore has
spent on the harbor and inner crannai
$500. 4OS. The time has come for tba
federal government to make an appronria.
ton for deepening the ship channel. and to
meet 1t half way the people of Baltimore
ought to prepare proper dock facilities IF
Congress is to appropriate S3.645, 600 for us.
then Baltimore must be ready to handle the
increased commerce that will inevitably
follow. The natural advantages of this
port are such that Baltimore ought to be
the second in Importance on the Atlantic
coast"