The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-02-13
CAIRO FINANCE 5 .
BY II. r. potter.

The most simple and the cheapest
form Of municipal government Is the
township organization, common in tie
thickly populated agricultural az
triots of the northern states The
officials usually consit or three super
yisors, a town clerk, an assessor ana
collector Of taxes, justices and con
stables. In the east there are cite
as large as Cairo existing under this
form of government; and they are ut
tractiye towns, with the added at
traction of low taxation, This is an
attraction Cairo has not ben SUM-
GENTLY mindful Of. Nothing impress
es stranger with money TO invest
more favorably than low taxes, On
the contrary, nothing gives him
more unfayorable impression of
While this city as situated must nat
urally have rather ROBUST tax rate
by wise economy it can be held 81
low as to command admiration fol
the financial management of the au
thorities from discerning and inves
tigating prospectors.
Let well enough alone" is an ex
ceilent rule to apply 10 city affaira
The mayor and council are constantly
drummed by citizens, and promoters
from abroad to adopt schems or 1c
: h orc that pogf rnnnay II is cafa ~
turn 4 deaf ear to every call for an
expenditure of money that has no.
It's initiative in the members of the
city government, and that has not
been measured after careful consid'
GRAFTON by the test: is ii absolutely
necessary? As Cairo is situated
this test must be maintained and ap.
piled If the city is to be kept in good
financial repute, than which nothing
is more essential if the place is to
grow and prosper.
If this policy results in an accumu
lation in the treasury aftef the eX.
of all floating indebted
ness, and conded Indebtedness to the
extent that this may be paid i'm
meaiaely or in the near future, and
after counting the total of current
expenses visible for the fiscal yea
enter ed upon, let it stay there for cx
traordinary or unexpected emergsn
cies which arise occasionally and re-
quire an expenditure of money, and
for a basis by which to calculate a
reduction Of taxes
When there is money in the treas
ury, or when there is room for an
issue of bonds, many people seem "a
itch with ideas as to how the money
may be got rid of, or bonds issued
up to the limit. and their propositions
aggregated would bankrupt city
several times larger than Cairo. Thu
ending itch extends to every de
pent of the city government AMI
'equently its legislative body
.mbs 10 It, The fellow calling
ftttte appropriations or allow
+ aecs with plausible plea is dan
4rans because ne Is so numerous
i5tCse with bond schemes, requiring
y an insignificant increase OF
rs, are liable to popuiarize their
4 fcts. which present something so
1 ~ 10 have. Increase OF taxation is
H opposite Of decrease, be it very
7 all in appearance, and decrease Is
lat Cairo should realize during the
next few years.
Cairos city government in the va
rlety of its departments is as stu
nendous as that of the metropolitan
cities, and win the wisest manage
7nent must be costly. This is evl
dent to all. and should make the
necessity for rigid economy clearly
apparent. To confne expenditures to
urgent or absolute current needs
seems clearly the duty OF the mayor
and council.