The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-11-17

Mayor Howse's annual message
to the City Council submitted Friday
night, follows:
To the Honorable City Council
Gentlemen: l desire to express my
confidence in the abilitp of the pres
ent City Council to perform all du-
ties and meet all obligations pertain
ing to their respective Offices with
credit to themselves and profit to the
great City of Nashville 1t is my
duty as Mayor of this city, and priv
ilege which has been uniformly en-
braced by all of my worthy prede-
cassors in Office to submit an annual
message to the Honorable City Coun-
Gil recounting those improvements
and reforms which have been
instituted and accomplished in the
year lust drawing to a close and out
lining the work that we as public
officials and servants of all the people
hope to accomplish in the year upon
which we are to enter.
1t should be our purpose to
strengthen and extend the facilities
of each and every department Of the
city government commensurate with
the demands of a growing, thriving
city, an dto exert every energy in
cur power to give the citizens who
have honored us with their suffrage,
clean, honest and efficient city
government
Economy should be at all times
practiced in the expenditure of pub
lie funds, but whenever it is found
that greater efficiency and more sub
stantial benefits can be accomplished
by an increased expenditure then and
only then should the increase in ap-
preparation be granted in any de-
partment of the city government
have always stood for and advocated
a. liberal compensation for working
people, believing as | do that fair
wages and good treatment produces
the best results but whenever an in
crease in wages is granted to any de-
partment of the city government
those officials responsible for grant
ing the increase should be satisfied
beyond a reasonable doubt that the
efficiency of the department would
increase in the same ratio as the in
crease in wages:
In my annual message sumbit
ted to the Honorable City Council on
Nov. 2*, 1910, the bonded indebted
ness of the city of Nashville was
given in detail, with the assets and
liabilities of the city, showing the
annual interest on the outstanding
bonds and clearly demonstrating the
fact that the citys excess of assets
over all of it's liabilities amounted tC
$6,431,OOO.
Public Schools.
am gratifed to announce that my
recommendation on my previous an
nual message to the City Council in
reference to paying teachers both
white and colored, in our public
schools twelve months in the
year has, through wise and pro
gressive Board of Education and
City Council, been carried to sue
cessful conclusion, and | come to you
in the closing days Of this year with
other recommendations of equally
if not greater Importance to the con
tinued welfare of our magnificent pub
lie school system.
Many progressive American cities
have tried the experiment of furnish
ing free textbooks to the children il
certain grades with a degree of sue
cess, which cannot be overlooked b!
officials and citizens who desire tt
promote the cause Of education anC
make it possible for the poorest ant
most friendless children to be founC
anywhere took advantage of thu
BENEFITS of the public schools, which
are maintained at public expense fol