The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-11-25
THE BUDGET FOR 1910.

HE bUDJEl FON 19lo.
In the Budget for 1910, considered by
the City Council last night, the appro-
priations for deserving institutions were
reduced while the salaries of some of
the officials were increased.
The usual appropriation for the Home
Charitable Association was eliminated
and abolished.
For instance, the salary of the city
attorney has been increased from $1,000
to S1soo. The city engineer is increased
from $1,000 to $500. The street COM
missioner, whose salary is limited to
$1,000, is allowed $500 additional for
experimenting the city stables, and
there is provided salary of $1,000 for
an assistant street commissioner.
If the city finances warranted such
increase in the salaries of these officers
there would not be urged criticism,
or rather complaint and protest
against such expenditures, but the emf
barrassnlent of the city, in a financial
sense, has been conceded, at least on the
part of the men who deplore the loss
to the city of the revenue which was
obtained from the saloons and which
a year since provoked the loudest Oh
lamentations, when the salary of the
police and of others were reduced radi"
cally.
However, it may be noted that when
this curtailment was executed the sal
airy of the Mayor and other officials re-
manned undisturbed.
Fortunately, whatever we're the pre-
dietions of disasters which were to fol-
low in the train of the saloon revenue
being cut off by the law of prohibition,
did not occur. Apparently the city has
prospered; at least il has not retro
graded.
AS fact, the increase of the salaries
of officials may be interpreted as being
an indication of prosperity in the very
face Of prohibition, but why should the
appropriations for charitable institu-
tions be decreased?
If the financial condition of the city
should not warrant the maintenance OF
the appropriations for these charitable
institutions, upon what plea of justifca
ton can the increase of the salaries of
the officials be sustained7
1t Is not question that the city attor-
ney's salary should be more than $12oo
and this criticism IS not aimed at him,
in his personal or official capacity, but
applies In a general sense to the sal
aries Of all the officials, especially to the
street department which besides the
street commissioner there is provided
an assistant with salary of $1,000.
Why was the Home Charitable Asso-
citation eliminated from consideration
and the revenue provided for that char
ity IN the past has been abolishedf
Why was the appropriation for the
Shreveport Training School for Girls
reduced from $12oo to $ooo7 Is not this
institution most deserving of the great
est support from the municipality?
If the city is in the financial straits
which would dictate the most intense of
economy, the playground for which
there is an appropriation Of $500, could
have been eliminated and applied to the
Home Charitable Association.
Indeed, it the city Is strained fnan-
cially and to that point where it, be-
GENES necessary to curtail and relieve
charitable institutions of the appropria-
tons which they have enjoyed in the
past, the Council is exercising most
fragrant discrimination when it discred-
its such institutions and advances the
salaries of officials.
The action of the Council, from our
view, is ifldefensibie and can not escape
the fair and honest criticism of all good
citizens who synpathize with the or
phaned, the poor and the needy who
should be aided through the Council,
which is comprised of men who are
presumed to be the representatives of
the people.
In this instance the Council, in de-
creasing the appropriations for char
table institutions and in having abol-
ished the appropriation for the Home
Charitable Association have not voiced
the wishes of the people. As fact
the great masses who sympathize with
the poor and the unfortunate have been
nisrepresented
cf.rrrcc1nN NoTyrr