The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-21
IT'S COST.

1t is difficult to make any compari.
sons OF the cost OF the old government
and the new in Des Moines. The rev
government has not yet finished its first
year, and it still has to meet the troub-
lesome dema ads OF winter and spring,
especially In the cars OF its streets
sewers, etc. Moreover city govern.
ments are like men-One may spend
100000 and get only $50, 900 real valve
fer it, while another may spend $l2o,-
600 for the same general purposes and
get 1925, 900 real value for it. The first
cost less but the second is more salts
factory.
There can be no genuine comparison
OF cost in city governments without
comparison Of efficiency at the same
time, and inasmuch as relative cost is
hard TO get at just now, this article
will deal chiefly with efficiency.
1t may be said in general way, how.
ever, that in the last year OF its admin.
istration the old city government ex.
ceeded its revenues by more thar 800.
600. Most of this excess was unwisely
81 ent, to say the least. The year pre-
ceeding that it also exceeded its in
come. The new city government was
obliged to ask the people to vote $780,
900 bonds to fund these floating debts
of the old government. The new gov
eminent in its first nine months has
lived entirely within its income, while
doing much more work in the case OF
the city and the protection of the peo
pie and property. More, the commit.
sion has still on hand or in prospect
enough money from the years reven.
ues to take care of all the usual expeu-
ses of winter and spring in all depart
ments, and also the probable sxtrao:.
binary expenses,
REDUCED TAXES.
1t may be said further that the new
government has determined that it.
first tax levy shall be y mills less II
the last levy of the old government
On the valuation Of property in Des
Moines, the reduction OF Il mills means
a reduction of $4,000 in taxes for the
coming year.
SO upon the face of the returns, in
its first year the new government has
lived within its income, while in the
last year of the old government the
city exceeded it's income by 100000
there being very little difference in
the income of the two years. Next
year the new government promises to
live within its income, and it has al
ready reduced that income by $4,000.
But what about efficiency?
1t is best illustrated by an incident
that happened last spring.
On the monrng after the new gov.
eminent had been installed ia Office a
street cleaning gang went marching
past the city hall on its way to work.
Trailing along behind was decrepit
looking old man, limping painfully
with cane and with difficulty carry
ing shovel over his shoulder. Up
ahead were one or more others who
seemed as little qualified for the hard
work Of the streets.
Commissioner McVicar, in charge Of
the department of streets snd public
provements, saw the gang. The
next morning he sent for the foreman.
care you trying TO work that Grip.
Piled and broken down old man on your
street cleaning gaDg?" he asked the
foreman.
"Well. sir, it's this way, be replied.
HE amt any good: he's boozed too
much in his time and he is all Grip
Piled with rheumatism now, but he's .
brother of Tim---, who had a big
pull with Alderman--in his ward
When Alderman--came to me and
said should put this man and one or
two others on the job, couldn't help
maself. They amt any good but
they re there.
They we're not on the job the next
day. There began a wedding out Of