The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-14
BOND ISSUES IN TWO CITIES.

It should not follow that because the voters of Bridgeport rejected, al the city election last Tuesday, the proposition to appropriate $225,0OO for new almshouse that the building present condition. At the last meet ing of the state board of charities in this city one of the members, who had visited the institution. reported that it is unsanitary and in dilapi- dated condition. The board did not think it was necessary to take action improved in view of the likolihood that the people would vote the neces- sary appropriation for a new building. By the rejection of the appropriation the situation is changed and in all probability the state board of chari- attention of the city authorities of Bridgeport to the condition of the in- stitution. Of course it does not fol- low that because the people refused to authorize the issue of bonds to the amount of $225, 1000 the hands of the authorities are tied and that they will be unable to do anything that will be a substantial improvement on the conditions which now exist in the almshouse. It is easy to make pro- vision for the improvement in the budget for the coming year. The city of Bridgeport can be depended on to do what is necessary to improve the conditions at the almshouse even if the people are unwilling to assume the obligations of a bond issue. It is a progressive city and it will not allow condition to continue that would be reproach to it.
 The people of New Haven will, on Tuesday next, vote on the question of issuing bonds to the amount of $850,- mi i0 vi o. orcusty opposing the issuing of these bonds. It points out that at the rate of interest to be charged and the time allowed for the maturing of the bonds the city will have paid nearly s2,000.000 tprincipal and interesD be fore they are retired. The Union says,
 As we said yesterday, anybody can take a pencil and paper and figure out that the s850,000 worth of pro- posed bonds will cost this city before they mature considerably more in in- terest charges. from which the city will receive no tangible benefit, thar the whole face value of the bonds. Does the city want to pay during the course of the next twenty or thirty years nearly $2,000,000 for $850,000 worth of improvements.
 The bonds are intended to meet the expenses of permanent improve
 
 There does not seem to be any ques- ton in regard to the desirability of the improvements. The only ques- tion is as to the method of raising the money to meet the expenses. The Union favors the laying of an addi- tional tax of one mill for the next five years on the grand list of the city. This, it claims, will raise enough money to carry out the inn provements even though they will cost $850,000, and save the taxpayers in- terest charges to the amount of over $1,000,OC0. The Union says that the permanent improvements, which it IS proposed 10 make, will not last as long as the period for the maturing of the bonds, and that at the end of the twenty-five years the next genera tion of residents of New Haven will be compelled to issue another series for the renewal of the improvements and so on, making an endless chain of bond issues.
 something wrong when it says that "this whole bond issue business is wrong in principle and in most cases even wrCng in purpose" Can it be possible that the bond issue is favor ed because of the financial benef. which some interested persons may gain from it
 It is incredible that any citizen of New Haven would be so unpatriotit as to exploit the city for his financial advantage at the expense of his fei- low taxpayers. But human nature is the same everywhere and not even in New Haven is 1t perfect.-Hart- ford Times.