The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-05-19

corning such expense, except as here
lii otherwise expressly provided
The alderman expressed the belief
that as the appropriation bill had
been already passed IN which no pro
vision had been made FOR the pro
posed Increase In salaries, such IN
crease could not be lawfully made and
he asked the city attorneys opinion
Ion the matter. The city attorney did
not feel prepared to pass upon the SUD
iect without full information as 70
what had been done, and the ordi'
nance was passed by bare majority
lof ali the members of the council
An important question in connection
with the proceedings list Was the IN
crease in salaries fully provided for
IN the appropriation bill? II II was not
then, 1t woald seem 70 the lay mind
that the ordinance increasing the sal
aries il null and void for Section 30
(which was not quoted In the pro-
ceedings above referred tol expressly
declares. Neither the city council
nor the board Of trustees nor any a.
partment or officer of the corporation.
Shall add I'd the corporation expendi-
lures in any one year anything over
and above the amount provided for
In the animal appropriation bill Of that
year. except as herein otherwise
specially provided. and no eNpendf
tnre for an Improvement to be paid
for on of the general fund or the
corporation shall exceed, in any one
year th amount provided for such
tion bill. Provided, however, thar
nothing herein contained shall pre-
vent the city council or board of tials
tees from ordering by two-thirds vote,
any Improvement, tn necessity Of
which II caused by any casualty Or
accident happening after such annual
appropriation II made.
While Il win be generally admitted
that there is reed OF an increase In |
the salaries Of certain city employees |
no one will contend that the need is
50 pressing that II amounts to Gas
atty. or that 1t can be classified as
an accident" and 1t will be anpaf
3nt. even to the casual reader thar |
unless the propos 4 increase was pro
pidea for III the annual appropriation |
hill. 1T can not be legally made.
There was some discussion IN the |
council as To whether or not The Ia |
crease had been provided for In til
appropriation bill The mayor ami
Alderman Snyder said 1t had been, bur |
alderman kOehler. who was chairman
II the france committee which |
framed the bill. declares most en-
nhatically that there was Mo discus |
sion whatever of any proposition to
Increase any salaries at any Of the |
meetings Dit the committee where tha
appropriation bill was under consider
alton. Alderman koehler admits that
fhara Ii an inaraa9a nf 81 nil In The
appropriation for salaries, but II was
explicitly stated that this increase
was for the purpose Of paying Two |
additional men on the police fore,
Tho previous appropriation having |
been insufficient to pay a full force |
and the force having been short two |
men as a consequence.
Alderman Koehlers contention gtins'I
strength. ii not complete confirmation
rom the fact that the $4,000 increase
n the appropriation from $4,000 TO
s21,000t will fall considerably short OF
he proposed increase in salaries, The |
salary increases mads, or proposed to
lie made. by the two ordinances adop-
ed by The council will run TO an az
sregate Of So 1870 without allowing |
anything for additional men-being |
s3OG per year for the city engineer |
1900 for the chief of police, $3.50 for
the sergeant. and sl,440 for IL police
eonstahles who are 10 he raised $40
per month each. If two additional
men are employed-in other words, #
he two vacancies on the force are
filled (which exist because of the
Heath If Officer Doud and the resig
nation OF one officer some months
igol then the police salaries win be
increased by $3.50 additional and the
otal salary Increase will amount to
$3.50 or $3.50 In excess of the $4,000
Increase for salaries.
Hence, even admitting that the 81
000 liner ase In the appropriation for
salaries was made 10 meet proposed
increase in The salaries( as is con
tended by the mayor and Alderman
Snyder the appropriation will still
fall short of meeting the proposed in
crease in salaries. II will fall $3.50
short with twelve constables and 81,
$40 short with r full force of fourteen
police constables. Iii either case the
ordinances seem 10 be- null under Sec
tons 50. 80 and ~ of the Act of In
corporation.
The situation is sufficiently grave
to demand thorough inquiry before
any warrants or certificates are is
sued under the ordinances. If the
ordinances are not legal It ought To
b. definit ely known and if it is pos
sible To make them so it ought to be
done. Il seems like folly, however,
to pay salaries under an ordinance