The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-04-05

lster ne aifairs Of The city il an el-,
ieient manner II further shows
that tie planned cnr,ailment of the
revenues Of the city would ouIc.sly
bring ciarksbnrg 70 the 6ankrnpt
condition q Fairmont II that weres
% happen. actual operating expenses
could not be met and there would be
NO possibIlity for improvement
The entire assessed valuation ~
clarksburg for the year 1905 wss.
s12. t7a,So5, and the entire amount
Of taxes raised on that assessment
at s5 cents on tie hundred dollars
not including the ten cent spsclail
levy laid % wipe out the entire foat.
Ing debt, was $40, eels0 Addea 10
this was 1895 Is received from
iianor licenses. making total OF
sec. 1888: The water works de-
partmentsis not Included
The operating expenses for tie
year as shown In detail In. another
column, including $4,000 for new
paving. amount to sso,s4O.o0.
The operating expenses the COM
ing year on the same basis mot IN.
Guiding any. new paving win be s47.-
040, while the revenue raised from
taxation / g VIII not reach that amount
by $4,000. and there Will be no ex-
cess .6or improvements Of any kind:
Take 1t for granted that the In.
erase in the value OF all properts
for the year is two per cent. Then.
the entire assessed valuation for
the year viii be sI2.724, sol. '; IN
amount doubtless too high as ii Is
mot likely the increase for the year
treaches two per cent. However,
with that amount as Sthesbasis there
can be raised only sS1,ffa. so at
the rate of 80 cents on the hundred
dollars, the maximum rate fixed by
the state law. which amount viii
not cover actual operating expenses
by $4,000 and not allow single cent
for street or other improvements
There would not be a single penny
for new street paving, and not mon
icy to pay the interest on the bonded
Indebtedness. unless the other usual,
revenues are derived. which it is
sought by a certain movement to cut.
on entirely and forever. Any and
every one thus sees how quickly
clarksOurg would be brought %
bankruptcy in city affairs.
Some may undertake to meet this
situation by advocating retrench.
ment. But. it is widely known
fact that salaries here OF all city. Of.
fcials are lower than TO be found In
most places, in fact so ridicuIously
low that at times 1t is difficult to get
men to serve the city. The police
force is now down to the minumam;
IN number and a similar condition;
prevails at the FIRE department,
Il There can be no curtailments or the
lighting of the city as that service Is.
no more now than what is actually.
demanded and absolutely needed
The only possible reduction that
could be made would be in the street
i department in the matter OF repairs
and cleaning, movement that
would not be tolented.
All men of judgment. enterprise
and civic pride know that clarks-
burg impcrattvely needs more, rev.
enucs than at present and not fewer
as some seek to bring about. If the.
city is to so forward in its improve
ments It mustehave ample revenues
Ilf It would so backward. then re.
duce the revenues. ~
1. Destroy the finances of the CITY.
and the efficiency of city administra..
tons are naturally DESTROYED. Dc.
priTo the city of money aud the-clty
becomes deprived of public service
and advancement. Cut doxn the
revenues and either insufficient work
can be done to keep the city moving
or bankruptcy follows.
No city can progress which docs
not keep constantly improving. No
city can long exist which STAINS sim
or places itself in the act Of going
backward.
There must be enough revenue ii
meet actual operating expenses q
the affairs of the city cannot no vel,
run. There. should be revenues in
reasonable excess of operating az.
penses, to devote to Improvements
Property owners and other, tsx.
payers. business men. indeed, the
citizens in general should not ovar.
look the question Of city revenues
when they so to the polls to vote
tomorrow. The Republican narfyI
contends that. the revenues sbon,d
mot DE reduced. 1t stands. ont Arm
land strong on that principle. II de-
sires that. the city shall 20 fory.a-a