Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-17

eli received an ultimatum from the
library board 70 the effect that It mus
pay rent or move out. The council
moved out, Yet II 1t had 20 pay rent.
why should not the city council have
paid ii to the library to be used for
public service instead OF turning IT IN
10 the Golfers of a private citizen. The
administration pledged to rigid econ
omy''-has made a permanent in-
vcstmcnt of the city funds ia Mr., kor-
ber's building OF about Sl,500. II IS
continuing the investment at the rate
of Sl,2G0 a year. while right across
the street lis a piece Of property owned
by the city for use AS a site for a city
han There is, or should be available
in the city hail funds the sum of
$4,000 Tor construction purposes. one
thousand W. hundred and sixty dol
lars per year rent which Mr.. k0rher
is receiving would pay IA interest on
the bund issue which would build MS a.
city hall adequate for all our needs,
but it is a good thing to encourage
home industry. Mr.. Korber needed
the tenant. MIR. Marion volunteered
to get him one. The city did the rest,
This is a air sample of the kind Of
rigid economy" this administration
has practiced.
Per Capita Cost Of Government.
Here is another sample Of rigid
economy" 1t cost exactly $1.45 per
capita on the basis Of our present
population for every man. woman
and child TO run this city government
| during the first year Of this city adj
ministration On the same basis Of
population this is $1.S4 per head more
than II ever cost before. This year
the per capita cost on the same basis
viii be n little more than $500 per
head, or $40 more than 1t ever cost
before this administration, and his is
entirely exclusive of the eN-
penditures for school purposes.
The per capita cost altogether
exclusive Of the school xpens IL AZ
per cent more than it was in the last
year of the republican administration,
19~07-190S. Have YOU each had $500
worth Of city government this year,
You working man with your little
home midwife and three or four
children-have you, with a family OF
six, had your S4S.00 worth of city
government this year,
AS against the cash balance of $2S,-
257.S9 left by the last republican adj
ministrntion, this administration
wound up It's first year with only $26,-
257.7S. On March list. this year, the
city treasurer showed a balance in ell
funds of a little more than $40,000.00.
But ont of this are to come all Of the
accounts Of the past three months
md up to April 18th, next, ana those
accounts are going up pretty heavy.
When the final record ~ footed IN.
not the campaign recofd mind you,
which is likely to be the balance OF
March LIST, but the finul record, YOU
VIII see that the cash balance left by
the last republican administration has
very materially dwindled.
1t Is not so much cash balance that
courts, however. as the results OBJ
tanned. The people, when they pay
their money in as taxes expect II to
be spent for public purposes and IL we
get the results we have no fault TO
fiud. But have we had the results
from this administration? Have we
had the rigid economy" promised =?
Have We had economy of any kind
Have in ways by which economy has
proven q detrlment? Did you get your
share of the 40 per cent Increase IN
the cost OF running the city govern
mcnt2
There Is need FOR rigid economy in
our city Just now. Wise economy that
goes ahead while il saves. The kind
of economy that gets a dollars worth
of permanent results and a dollars
worth Of service for every dollar of
public money expended. There has
never Bttl a. AAiiit MlEl AlBllutl Ii'
could benefit 50 much from a wisely
directed business administration as
now. Have We been getting 1t during
the past two years. Look at the rec
ord OF the city council Cover the
minutes of that body since this time in
April, 1908, ana see what a record IL
is of shiftlessncss and unbusincss-like
methods of conducting city affairs.
Note The meetings which on
vencd at eight O'Clock ana
wound up near twelve o'clock
without any possible, tangibie result
to be found in the record aside from
the talk, and more talk. Note the re-
port of the street committee May rs.
1908, outlining its policy ana study
the record to see how little that pol
icy has ever been referred to again.
ON June lst. 1908. a building ordi-
nance was brought into the council,
An ordinance which has been needed.
II is in committee yet For nearly
twenty-five months this ordinance
was shunted about from committed to
committee, while the building indus
try of this city. ana the city itself suf-
fered for lack of an intelligent set OF
building regulations.
on June is. 1908, the city attorney
was ordered TO make a compilation
of the ordinances. Something that Is
very necessary since. in their present
confused state, it Is almost impossible
to tell what Is the law In the city and
what ordinances have been repealed
The city attorney prepared the com
pilation. lie still has IL in his pos
session. The council has never ven
moved i'm the matter since. Possibly
this inactivity is due to the fact that
the council Is practicing the rigid
economy" which II promised the poo
IN not paying the city attorney for
the work OF compiling the said ordt-
nance.
on June Is. 1905. attention was
to the fact hat the floor of the
Coal avenue Viaduct was rotten ana
dangerous. and an oak floor WAS rec
commended. The contract for laying
this floor in the yiaduct was let on
February IS. 1910. twcnty-onc months
after the matter came up in the Cptln-
ell, aud an his time the Viaduct re-
maincd In this rotten n dangerous
condition.
These are but "a few instances of a
long record of similar cases of neglect
Of public business found throughout
The entire record of this adminlstra-
ton.
The Mater shortage.
All residents of Albuquerque too
wen remember the utter helplessness
Of the present democratic administra-
ton to depl with the problem Of the
shortage during The summer of
500. AMER NOR" than "A months de-
during which the safety OF Tie
public health was grossly disregard
-d boy tho Water company. The adj
ninisttati"n was finally eoaded int"