Evening journal., 1911-04-25
DEFENDS CITY
REPUBLICANS
kr. Whit. Say orm un-
I'll EaS a o.. -eSS-like
Body,
Body
PAID OFF $4,000
ACCUMULATED DEFECT

of Council from the Ninth ward, and
chairman of the finance committee of
that body. previous to the success of
the Democrats at the polls two
years ago, in a statement made 10
the members of the Republican City,
Committee last night, defended the
previous Republican administration
management OF city affairs, and gave
figures to supplant his party.
Mr.. White said he did not intend to
make any comparison between the
present administration and the preced-
ing one, but would relate some Of the
things accomplished by the preceding
administration in view of the mis-
leading statements. made concerning
it. I'VE prefer" said Mr.. White, ito
let the public draw its own compari-
son of the work accomplished by the
preceding. administration as compar-
ed with the financial status Of the
present one"
He said that the Republican ad-
ministration of four years under
Mayor Horace Wilson paid off an ac-
cumulated deficit of $4,000 or more,
met forty-eight months pay-rolls and
every bill contracted for current ex-
penses, bringing to close one Of the
most successful partisan administra-
tions the city of Wilmington ever
had.
Mr.. White was roundly applauded
at the close, and H. H. Billany, the
city chairman, supplemented his re-
marks, as did others. Mr.. White said
in part.
The time has again arrived when
( the attention of the voters of our city
/ is being directed to the records made,
and being made. on the part of the
! two great political parties, that which
has administered and the one now
( trying to administer our municipal
I affairs, to the end that they may be
! guided in the selection of the men,
who in their judgment will best con-
serve the public welfare.
THE greatest factor in moulding
public opinion in this direction is our
daily press, and since certain sweep
ing statements have been made in an
effort to discredit the preceding ad-
ministration, We are compelled in our
own defence to make reply, and We
feel that the time is now opportune to
characterize such statements as the
present administration though ad
mittedly bad, is no worse than the
previous one, for after wiping out
deficit of the preceding Democratic
administration, by the use Of revenue
received from the Water Department
they Immediately lapsed into the
same normal deficit the succeeding
years. as false and given for the sole
purpose Of misleading the votes at
the coming city election.
Quotes Auditors Report.
"In support of this statement, we
turn to the published report Of Mr.
John ID. Kurtz, city auditor of the
present. administration. for the fiscal
year ending June 80 1909. the closing
Of our term of office. and we find q
net deficit Of s16.229.7s, and we make
bold to say that had It NOT Deen ror
Democratic interference with the col
lection of our. accounts receivable to-
: ward the close of the year, in keeping
with statements, such as: Wen
smash their records, all our current
obligations would have been met and
We would have had cash balance in
the treasury. For instances check dat
ed June 80, 1909, to the order of the
Mayor and Council of Wilmington, in
the sum of s6,339 in payment for an
outstanding tax, was intercepted by a
representative Of the incoming and
present administration and turned
over TO them on July 5. 1909. Had
+ not this payment been so intercepted
the cash balance at the close OF our
administration would have been in
creased by the above mentioned
check, S6,339.
Had we charged ourselves with the
June payrolls which would have made
. 49 monthly payrolls. our administra-
ton of four years would have paid our
p small deficit of s9,S90.7S which would
have agreed with the city auditors re-
port for the term ending June 30, 1903
Republicans Paid OF $4,000.
In other words the Republican ad
3 ministration of four years undei
= Mayor Horace Wilson paid off an ac
cumulated deficit of $4,000 or more
met forty-eight months payrolls an'
every bill contracted for current eN
pense. bringing to a close one Of th'
{ most successful partisan administra
! tions the city of Wilmington ever had
In addition to the above the Repub
: lican administration stands credited
! with the following;
/. Meeting a popular demand TO
( increased salaries for our schoo
teachers. $4,000.
2. Providing better policing by tn
addition of ten new patrolmen, as re
auested by the Police Commission
, $4,000.
= 3. Provided the additional interes
required in selling bonds for Wate
Department, Street and Sewer De
pertinent and Park Commissioners
thereby giving purer water. bette
streets, park extensions of valu
within the city limits, Playground
= lighthouses. etc, $4,000.
| 4. Increased fire protection TO NEE
/. the needs of growing community
: s21, 500.
/ 5. Increased appropriation TO tn
Street and Sewer Department for cur
rent expenses of that Department
: from 100000 to S195.O00, which wa
reduced by the present administra
ton to S1S0,000.
Installing of twentieth century &C
counting methods, thereby enablinI
us to show TO the very dollar anon
other things the surplus and deficit
of this and other administrations
All of the above has been provides
! for our citizens without increasing tn
tax rate. So much to the credit Of tn
alleged incompetent Republican sd
ministration.
Says Statements Mislead.
We are charged with accomplishing
all this by the use of funds ruthlessl
/