The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-07-06
FINAuAL CONDITIONS
OF MILWAUKEE.
Administration Makes ,
: Splendid Showing.

|
Splendid Showing.
great deal has been said in the
public press about the condition of
finances under the present admins
tration in Milwaukee. Minority men,
bers of the City Council have claim
ed that the Socialists We're showing
| wanron extravaganza, foolish ex-
penditures and other Incompetence
in the handling of the city's finances.
To prove this charge the oppo-
sition introduced a resolution in the
City Council demanding OF the city
comptroller, Carl P. DietZ, COM
plete statement covering all expendi-
turers of the city for the period dur
ing which the Socialists had been
in office, as compared with the pre-
ceding three months during which
the old regime was in office. This
statements was prepared very care
fully and very eXhaustively. 1t was
sent to the City Council on June 5th,
and appears as part of the official
records.
From this official report of the city
comptroller of Milwaukee. the fol-
lowing facts appear with regard to
the financial management of the
present administration in Milwau-
kee:
1. The year 1910 under the So
cialist administration, If taken in
dependently and made to cover only
such classes of expenses and pending
obligations as We're officially reSos-
niZed in 1909 and former years un-.
der the old party administration,
would have shown a surplus of
s3.9SS.00 instead of a deficit.
2. That there was an actual de-
ficit of $16,110 on Dec. 81, 1908.
under the old regime, which for
some reason or other they concealed.
At any rate, it was not officially rec
ognized nor shown on the books or
records of the city.
3. That the present adminisura-
ton actually reduced the current ex-
penses of the city government dur
ing it's eight months and a half at
the rate of 1855 rer month.
4. That the present administers
ton had actually reduced the de-
felt which they had inherited from
the former administration by a net
total of s43.7S5.
5. The former administration
spent practically 81 per cent OF the
entire appropriation under general
fourth of the year 81 per cent was
expended leaving only 3 per cent for
the remaining nine months. In 9TH
er words, the old regime spent dur
ing the first three months $7S,lS7,
leaving the incoming administration |
only $1,S12 for the eight and one
half months of the year rema; ning. |
Had the expenditures been kept UP |
at the rate that the old regime made |
them during the first three months,
the expenses of the year would have I
increased $124,957 over what they |
were.
6. The letter of the nomptrol-
Ter closes with the statement
THAT the city was saved from a |
serious financial condition TIN ough |
the decisive policy of retrenchmen..
promptly adopted by tn, incoming |
administration in 1910, is reflected |
at various points in The actual re-
duction of current expenses" (See
re crt submitted herewith.l
Thus the facts Is disclosed by
the official records completely dis
poses of the charge of incompe tency |
and extravaganza against the So
Lial:st administra.io |. But what is
more. it established beyond Ques-
ton the fact tina. the adE,inistra-
ton has shown superior efficiency in
the handling of the city finanies,
actual economies practiced, and re-
duction of the deficits and put the
city on an absolutely sound and firm
financial basis.