Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-14
FEW SECURITIES ARE REDEEMED
Resources larger Than Ever, Still
City's Debt Gees Up.
BOOKS MAKE AN UGLY SHOWING
with Over -Four Million Dollars
Revenue, Democrats Issue one
Million Dollars of Re-
newnl Bonds.

/ years OF democratic rule In Omaha despite
/ the vain campaign assertions OF the party 3
leaders and it's organ.
The people OF Omaha are paying in taxes
nearly 5000 more than they paid before
the present administration took over the
reins OF government. Under the increased
| taxes the democratic administration has
paid off but 5000 more of bonds than the
preceding republican administration. New
bonds nearly double the amount issued by
the preceding administration have been
uttered by the democrats And bonds
amounting to nearly 100000 have been re-
newed by the democrats as a result Of their
extravagant expenditure OF the city's
money.
These are the facts about the bond case
as shown by the records in the city treas
urer's office. which records are attested
by the city comptroller q democratic Of
ficial These facts are the truthful correc-
tons o fthe four campaign arguments made
By the democratic organ in its futile at
tempt TO bolster up the present democratic
city administration. the members OF which
are praying for reelection.
First. the democratic organ says: The
democratic administration has levied an
average Of 2 mills less taxes than the pre-
eeding republican administration"
Acknowledging the correctness or this
statement. the democrats cannot contro-
vert tha fact that despite this possible low
| ering Of the levy that they have received
in taxes 81, ,s71a more than the preceding
administration. The valuation during the
urecedinS administration was sSSe, ,45A 800
and only 1855. 4ls-Ss was produced under
possibly higher levy. During the present
democratic city administration and repub-
lican national prosperity the valuation has
been $Ss.sesssS and the tax produced has
amounted 70 s4234. 4e0Ls7 Had the democrats
wished to make q record on the side Of
economy they could have reduced the levy
stiil lower and saved the sS7Zooo excaas
smOuat over what tLe Tspublleans used.
which amount The democrats squandsred
Second. the democratic organ says: The
democratic administration has paid off sz7S-
600 OF bonded Indebtedness as against but
5000 during the preceding three years"
This assertion is not true, as the facts
show that the republicans paid off a2SOoo
Of bonds during the preceding administra-
ton instead OF E.co0 Further. the demo-
Gratis have actually paid off but sl75.cO
Of bonds. and not $4,000. and of this
$I75.ooO rhe preceding administration ordered
the taking up Of $4,000 The orders call
/ ing in the bonds could not have been issued
without the funds in the treasury. The
money was in the treasury before the dem
Ocrats came into power. but because the
bonds were cancelled on July 1. 1906 six
weeks after they were sworn into office.
they claim the credit for taking them urA
The democratic organ says: That's what
the democratic administration did six
weeks after coming into power''-the dig
ging up Of the money
Third-The democratic organ says: The
democratic administration issued but go
Oco of new bonds. every dollar to be used
for improvements. against $500 OF
which S2oo.ooo was for current Indebtedness
and but sSt5.Oco for improvements issued
during the preceding thres years
OF the bonds issued by the last preced-
ing administration. but ,2S.0O0 can be
rightfully charged 10 IL through court ac-
| ton whereby II was forcsd TO issue the
soo0.O00 refunding bonds for running ex-
pensss. When the levy wss ms1s in 1913
Il included taxes against the railroad and
express companies. the sZ7fss3ss expected
I to be collected from these companies bring
ing down the levy. The companies enjoined
the city from collecting. uie courts upheld
the contention of the piairtffs-the
terminal tax law not then being operative
and the city was compelled to issue the
refunding bonds 70 meet It's current bills
The Union Pacific was taxed Sl5Ssss.7l
the Burlington ssS Sc IS. the Northwestern
IS. $50 and the Pacific Express company
Sfs0oo On the advice OF the democratic
city attorneys the claims were recently set
tied for about slo,ooo. enough TO pay the
attorneys fees-
democratic administration is renewing but
/ se7s.0oo n bonds against 81 215oeo issued dur
/ ing the preceding three years"
II makes a truthful assertion when It
acknowledges that the renewal bonds Of
the present administration fan short OF
81 10000 BY but s.. 600. but II places the re-
publican renewals sss5.Oo0 or nearly A.Oce.
oooe9 higher than the facts warrant.
In the first place II includes an issue OF
si75.OOo revlewaI bonds made by the demo
Gratis ii Us table charged against the re-
publican administration. and then it in
cludes renewal bonds in the sum OF SS10aO
which were issued by the republican ad-
ministration to protect the city's credit on
account OF the courts holding that certain
special taxes were illegally levied through
defects IN the levies not seen by the demo-
cratic county attorneys These bonds. there
fore. cannot be charged against the republ-
can administration total issuance OF
renewal bonds amounting TO t29s.ooO remains
on the republican ledger.
The democrats also make the assertion
that during the last two years OF rspubli-
can regime the cream Of the whole scaven-
ger business skinned off" This
cream" which did not amount 10 as muea
as the democrats have since received. was.
on the advice OF Cszi C. Wright the demo
cratic county attorney at that time. and
VII Herdmsn. his assistant applied on
the redemption Of old special fund warrants
which were nearly ali wiped out before the
denlocrats came m
III making the assertion that instead OF
retiring bonds. 1.-THE republican adminIs-
tratiOn-opensd and graded streets. anc laid