The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-12-13
A PLAIN BUSINESS PROPOslTIOl

VI VI61uld SOCleLy Which ud6 DeSu |
from the opera house stage
of grating from the city. The
dray man would not buy a horse un-
less he saw OF at least thought he
saw fair return in prospect for his
Investment, the coal man would not
buy a set of scales unless he saw the
necessity of the act and felt. assured
that his business would warrant the |
expenditure, and the printer would
not add another press unless he need
ed it and could see the price return |
ing to him in day dreams of future
profits. Il
No business man is making invest
ments for the mere pleasure of in
*vesting, and we see no particular
reason why the municipality should
go into the investment business
whether it be the purchase OF light
and water plant or the installation
OF coal and wood yard-unless
they can see sufficient revenue to be
derived from the purchase to make
the Investment not only self-sustain-
Ing but capable of paying at least
per cent on its purchase price over
and above operating expenses, de-
probation and general up-keep.
The man who would buy a build
ing in this section on which he could
not see q realization of at least S
per cent over and above all contin-
gencies would be looked upon by his
neighbors as a fit subject for san
ity commission. And a city which
would invest half million dollars
or more of the peoples money in an
enterprise which they have thus fal
failed to show would make good"
without calling on the Taxpayer for
assistance, is in much the same class.
The figures submitted by the COM
mittee from the Virginia Tax-Pay-
ers' Association and given publica-
ton in this issue are worthy the
careful consideration of every tax
payer of the city, whether he owns
an interest in the Oliver Iron Min
ing Company or simply has cot
which he and his loved ones call
home. In either case, it would ap-
pear the taxpayer is selected as the
fall guy" who will make up the prob
able shortages to assist in off-setting
the proposed cheaper light and wa
ter bills for the home-renter and the
man whose only interest in Virginia
Is the wages he draws. We do not
speak of this class disparagingly-
! for we were poor once ourselves,
y'know-but we do not believe the
man who by energy and industry
has acquired something in this world
on which the tax-collector can seize
is entitled to be compelled to donate
Of his substance for the benefit of
those who may come to the city
hereafter.
Right now is the proper time for
the hOme-Owner and the taxpayer
to consider whether or not they wish
to add to their burden of taxation
further than It has already been
added to by means of the 1912 tax
levy in which was included one item
OF 100000 to assist in defraying
the purchase price of the light and
water plant. Now is the time to
think. and next Tuesday is the time
to act. Insofar as the Enterprise
editor is concerned, he can stand il
II the rest of the taxpayers and
! home-0wners can, but If there is but
one vote against the bonding of The
city and the virtual mortgaging of
our property in order to assist the
political aspirations of a certain few,
that vote will be ours.
On the other hand, it is set forth
that unless the bond question gar
ries a direct levy will be made to
cover the entire purchase price: Bet
ter, a thousand times better, than
to dim the brightest star in the his
tory Of Virginia-that she has made
hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of public improvements with
out being compelled to resort to dis
counting her future tax monies. We
say, Yes. put It on az direct levy,
that We may clean It up and out the
damned spot without detracting
from the valuation Of our property
interests as we feel bond issue
would do We would then know
that the plant had cost us approx
mately $550,00O without an addi-
tional quarter million or. more In
the shape of interest az trimmings
And We believe We are not alone in
this view of the situation, any more
than we feel that We are alone in
our ideas Of the advisability of the
purchase of the plant as an invest
ment..
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Services next Sunday are 40 fol-
lows: Morning service ct 1880;
sermon topic, ".The Face ct the
Window Sunday School ct 11:45d