The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-02-13
THE ClTY's FINANCES.

II e tire, rs stated this mornlnr
~ the r'tllt ms waived contributor.
Cart. Potter, ihat the city needs 70
eceno"'ige; that 1t should not fIltter
away IFS credit; that its city councl'
shnrld rnt vield To every request ror
m opriation ana a bond Issue 10
nr-rete ret schemes. That tnerc l.
ne IL tiis generally sneafipg. li'
ossa HiaE ae'cs'io9i nor viii II ~
cl-lrleI tNot iher9 has been much 0'
this $3.50 Ct thing In late years ~.
rreoiaticas rave been made uniaw
fully warriors mes. for entertain.
ina III pavors If Illinois for j,
stenca. anl far ryer improvements
ard Il might 10 we'll to cali a hal
on sseh prefo slions, although, %.
course, it can be claimed that the Sit.
VIII derive hen At from them in ar
Indirect way and in the course O.
time ..za
Prt when II ONES to promotin 4,
substantial and needed improvements
IL the city some difference may prop
erly he claimed to exist which calls
for recognition by the people and by
these IN authority. The city must t.,.
built III. 1t mnst be made convenien.
ana rlfasant for people to live in and
do business in, or 1t can not hope 10
attract ana hold peoplefi which cav
M he zone without spending money
Tii's IS true With respect to the street
and snwer and sidewalk improve
ments that have been made, and 1t fl
true also with respect To the pre-.
posed issue Of bonds for the Library
a@"ev. against which no meritorioue
Ch'eciieo cen I've raised
In a general way it is known that
- commrnity, Cairo is not in bad
staie financially It's bonded debt 80
about $4,000; its floating debt about
The same its Improvement bonds
about 100000 And against all this
fhtre Is the assessors valuation Of
nrunerty for 1910. of over $4,000 600
waieh. OF course, falls far short OF
Inc real value. Nevertheless. Il f.
tue that the taxes fall heavily upon
marry pecnle and !; Is In order now
that all the principal thoroughfares
nave been ordered paved, the sewer
system built. and filling ordered
where needed. that a word of adnoU
ition he utit ed against passing rlr
ther improvement for a time excert
where the property owners ask ina.
Il he done. This Is said 10 be ne
rresent Iolicv OF the Board OF r.ocnt
improvements.
Under TIE head OF city finances
there Is. however, a matter which
calls for serious comment ana ror
SOM well-planned action by the al.
thorlfies N Is the failure. for wears
past, to make proper effort 10 asce,.
tairj Just how the city stood from
time to time with respect to to
fioating debt. and the failure 10 =.
anything toward taking care or ;rs
bonded debt. There mas been no FIJI,
and detailed report OF the city's ar
FAIRS In this respect in any Of me
mayors messages since the time or
Mayors Patier and Woodward. ana
there seems to be no way of learn.
Ing the actual state OF things nom
the hooks Of the city. The reports or
the comptroller and treasurer. mate
monthly, show the condition OF the
appropriations and funds, and the re
rclrts AL expenses from north TO
month but they give no Indication of
h what has been done In the way on
tssulng anticipation warrants or Ger.
ttficates Of Indebtedness. and there u
no way OF telling in what SIMS IN Ase
have been issued. or whether the city
" Eain!ng or losing ground in the