Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-01-03

tain existing conditions should be
tolerated. nor will they be.
Sanitary Conditions.
Sanitary conditions could be great
ly improved upon. Too much litter
and waste is permitted to accumu-
late in the rear of buildings and in
the alleys. Proper receptacles for
the storage of garbage and other
loud smelling stuff are not being en-
couraged and while this might ap-
pear as a small matter to some, yet
the general health of the community
demands greater safeguards be tax
en- to forestall contagious diseases.
Provisions should be made for a pub
lie scavenger whose duty it should
be to make the rounds of the city
weekly. Approved garbage cans
should be secured by all the residents
Of the city so that the accumulation
Of filth and noisome matters would
be both unnecessary and impossible.
The general public should demand
that precautions for the preservation
of health should be isisted upon anil
the sooner that proper legislation
covering this matter is enacted, the
greater will be the security of our
citizens. The city's health officer has
rendered valuable services through
out the year, but his compensation
is entirely too smau for the duties
which devolve upon his office. A
more liberal policy in this important
branch of the service is both neces-
sary and essential.
Finances.
Rigid economy has been the watch
word in the expenditure of public
funds. The street committee upon
whom the bulk of the municipal work
devolved deserves special commenda-
ton for it's untiring energy. In ad-
dition to the general street work,
bridges both large and small have
been constructed by the department
instead of being awarded to privare
contractors and the saving to the city
has amounted to Tany thousands of
dollars. Too little thought is given
to the vast amount of labor and re-
sponsibility attached to the street
committee and either through lack of
knowledge, Indifference or false econ
omy the voters who failed to sup
port the amendment compensating
the officer in charge with proper re.
muneration are subject to severe
criticism for undertaking to perpetu-
ate a niggardly policy of expecting
the city's servants, upon whom the
burden of the work falls, to render
such services without reasonable COM
pensation. To say the least, it is an
outrage and sooner or later the op-
ponents of this meritorious measure
will regret their action and find IL
advisable to do that which they have
declined to do at the late election.
The present administration Inherit
ed warrant Indebtedness amounting
to $43,362.14. In one year this
amount hoe baan roJuood b. Coz
2S3.S2, and before another year rolls
around, we have every reason to be-
lieVe that the city O. Salem will again
be on cash basis, but in order to
accomplish this result, the occupation
tax referred to in the early part Of
my message must be enacted have
great hopes of this measure becom-
ing law and If my hopes are real
lied, I can safely assure the citizens
Of Salem that our next tax levy will
not exceed mills.
Telephone Company.
The 1O-year agreement which the
city entered into with the Pacific
State Telephone company, expired on
the first of this year. During this
period if paid an annual license of
5000, which is totally inadequate, and
l recommend that an ordinance be
passed levying an equitable tax from
the city's standpoint. The tolls
charged by this company need inves-
tigation to the end that the users of
this necessary appliance shall secure
its beefits without being subjected to
arbitrary rates.
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