The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-20
HOW CITIES ARE MADE.

/ I1OM VI lL<to hINE -htAth1s
II is sad thing to discover the at
ltitude of some of Paducah's Heading
lcitizens'' In regard to the license or
dinance. We do not refer TO the
men, who appeared on the floor OF
the general council and argued the
Iquestion. They felt that they had q
real grievance against language oi
the ordinance, or at least, against the
Interpretation put upon II by George
Walters, to whom they unluckily
went to pay their license. We refer
to the men, who consider themselves
the head and front of progress. but
who privily seek to escape their
share of the burden of maintaining
city. They profit more by main
tenance of the city government, than
do the small home owners. The po-
lice and fire protection is greater
convenience to them, than to the
owners of property further out. Their
danger is greater. their risk of loss
greater.
We know II hurts to come across
with five or ten dollars just 10 make
Paducah look like the kind of city
she ought to look like. We know It
seems much more reasonable to chip
in a hundred dollars towards a glass
plant, for instance, than ten dollars
towards improving the city. We
know Il Is easter to stand up at
banquet and talk about progress, than
-. &I.. r.~hna1
when hard times come It isn't the
season for those, who are interested
in the advancement Of the city, to de-
cline TO contribute to the actual ne
cessities OF the occasion. Other CON-
munities are not sitting back on their
launches and bowling hard times.
This isn't idle talk. The lesson was
learned by a personal visit to a town
of 25 900 inhabitants, that paved
fourteen streets hast summer. not be-
cause times were good but because
times were hard, and citizens thought
1T the opportune season to spend
some money on public improvements,
whereby men out OF jobs could get
something to do at home. That town
didn't lose any inhabitants in 1908.
n Mayor Smith and the members
of the general council will stand pat
and improve the city with the revenue
secured, they will find the great body
lof citizens behind them in their en-
lterprise.
i II is not only Mayor Smiths ad-
1,at fc OF 81 olrQ. this
general council, perhaps. would like
TO make a record, and not one for
creating a floating debt Immediately
, after its predecessor had practically
wiped one out, and left municipal
finances in such a condition that a
, deficit is not necessary. The present
general council is not responsible for
the present license ordinance. As
, customary the ordinance was enacted
= in December by boards which had a
. years experience behind them, saw
T ling the new boards the embarrass-
ment Of framing a revenue ordinance
Immediately upon their organization
Those members of the general
council, who have not enjoyed the
: benefit OF previous experiences In
public affairs, will learn in time, that
: the few persons Immediately affected
: by any measure are on guard TO ex-
claim against whatever burden may
be imposed on them; but the great
mass of voters are watching results
Of the administration, and this gem
eral council, as well as the mayor,
who has no ambition for political pre-
: ferment, will be judged by what they
accomplish. People do not object to
supporting a municipal government,
once they see practical results in at
tractive and beneficial improvements,
visible to the eye The trouble with
Paducah has been that the tax as
, sessment has been ridiculously low,
and no license ordinance has ever yet
, been permitted to stand after being
t drawn, and tine city mas been going
in debt, while the few public improve
: ments ever made are deteriorating.
AS far as Mr.. Wilson's complaint
, against the extortlon of cumulative
, licenses Is concerned, he is justified
/ in protesting. and If there IS any con-
3 fusion in the language of the ordi-
: nance, that could very easily be rem
edied by an amendment, altering the
confusing language. so that a mer-
! chant would have to pay only one L.
: tcanse