Amador ledger., 1905-10-13
The Spirit Of Concession.

Those having the matter of incor-
poration in charge before the supervis-
oIs displayed commendable spirit IN
voluntarily advocating cutting down
the proposed city limits, by exclud-
ing therafrom over nine forty-acre
tracts, embraced in essentially farm
ing land, and used almost entirely as
such. This is sweeping concession
to the position that mas steadfastIy
been advocated by the Ledger. If
the same spirit is manifested at the
next meeting of the supervisors, there
can be no donbt that the boundary
lines can be fixed so as to be reason
ably satisfactory TO the voters. 1t is
out OF the question to please all.
Some will want to be left out, no
matter how restricted the boundaries
are made. The one point that ought
to be kept steadily IN view is the
limitation of the town that will
permit of an economical and at the
same time an efficient government. Of
course, the debalable point is shifted
to whether mining property shall or
shall not be Included. In the deter
mination Of this question, the talk
that is heard that if such and such
property is not taken in, a number
of voters will vote against incorpor-
alton, should have little weight. On
Eha other hand -thera-lnav ha soma
who will cast their ballot against in
corporation il the disputed territory
is included And so it is a moot
point whether Incorporation will gain
or lose adherents By taking in mines.
The matter TO be considered is. Is
the town ii Incorporated, likely to
get along better without than with
the mining property. That should
be the only decisive test. Will the
mining interests, injected into the
town government, hamper or aid the
authorities; especially If such inter
ests are Incorporated against the
wishes of the mine owners or their
representatives.
VIII it tend to help or letard the
city by taking in, simply by numer-
ical stength, a strong disaffected
elemeut-an element that does not
properly and legltimatiy fall within
thu province of municipal authority.
We freely venture the opinion that
the city of jackson will get along
better without taking in any more
mining property than is absolutely
necessary. We co not however. go
to the extreme of saying that incor-
poration ought to be voted down be-
cause this or that mine is included.
The question is one of expediency,
pure and simple, and whichever pro
position is decided upon, the dis
interested voter should be disposed
to bow to the wishes of the majority,
and give the incorporation scheme a
fair trial on the lines proposed.
incorporation Will prove blessing
or curse just as the people of Jack
son choose to make it. We do not
indulge the roseate view that it will
have any perceptible effect IN i'm
proving the sanitary condition of the
town, that even the providing Of sew
erage for that portion of the town
mostly in need thereof VIII make any
rsr,f,ros,f-t'1sv--sss
believe that city government can be
carried on without, as some claim. a
material increase IN the tax rate.
Taxes, as. such, will unquestionabIy
be higher. We would be false to our
honest conviction if we held out any
other view. If the sums now paid by
citizens for fire purposes, for sprinkl-
ing, for cleaning and repairing
streets, also for lighting be added to
the present tax rate, it might be
sufficient to Offset the additional tax
required to sustain the town COVER
ment. The probability is it will re-
qulre all that, and a little more be-
sides, to maintain city government,
conducted on the most conservative
and economical lines.