The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-11
FAv0RS MAYOR WARD.
Continued from first page.)


We had pictured to ourselves a grand
announcement of huge graft or CONVEX
sion OF supplies as probable in the last
act, which has not materialized as yet,
and 1t is almost time for the curtain.
You remember, do you not, Mr.. Voter,
how indignant you were not many moons
ago, when the report was spread
throughout the state that the city of
Barre was scandalously niggardly with
its poor, and how quick you were to
condemn the overseerf But investiga-
ton showed you little basis for such
report. Now are you just as ready to
condemn Mr.. Shepard for prodigality
and a reckless disposition to o. X. ex-
trayagance
Ii we are to be extravagant in any
department, let it be with our poor, sick
and crippled unfortunates, but we doubt
If a thorough investigation will prove
Mr.. Shepard guilty of it. How many
of us would be willing to endure the
existing conditions at the city farm at
the present time, even with an unlimited
supply of ammonia and Florida water 7
But the edict has gone forth and we
are to have a new management, and
what Is to be the standard Of qualifica
ton? A reputation for parsimony and
ambition to make new record for below
the So schedule that was so firmly nailed
to the poorhouse door years ago, when
supplies were much cheaperi II SO, God
help the poor of Barre.
Now, Mr.. Voter, really low tax rate,
with the comparatively small grand list
of this city, means curtailment as well
as stopping of the wheels of progress.
No more extension of main and surface
sewers, water works and fire hydrants,
pavement, macadam or other permanent
streets, curbstones and cement or con-
crete sidewalks, extension of street
lights, etc, ETC., as IL will take all we
raise to maintain what we have already.
Whatg Not in favor of iii Well, then
we will greatly retrench. Let US look
about and see where. Suppose we knock
off the extra policeman and dispose of
the fire. auto? Not any. But look at
the tobacco that goes to the city farm.
Well then, suppose we stop ploughing
out and sanding the sidewalks; you
know that the snow covers the whole
thing up again, sometimes before the
job is completed? That makes no diff
ference. There is a demand now for
earlier ploughing in some sections and
more sand in all. But think of It'll
Eight pounds of cheese. What do you
say to quitting street sprinkling and
sweeping, gathering rubbish and all
night lighting. But look here, what is
the need of grapefruit1 We could save
some eight or nine hundred dollars by
cutting out band concerts could we not 7
Not on your life. Why lot of us think
that we should reserve the opera house
and continue them through the winter.
But say, amt Florida water the limit
Well, 1 don't know. Would it do to cut
off the library appropriation and quit
the skating rink yenturesf You make
me laugh. But, gee that's lot of am
monia. There isn't much chance of
outside the poorhouse then, and
just how much viii we accomplish in
the way Of low taxes if we cut off say,
well, all of it Oh, yes. Beg pardon,
we forgot that we can leave the city
clock run down two weeks instead of
ten days.
But seriously gentlemen, when you
appear before the board of aldermen,
IS it to urge retrenchment or further ex-
penditure of money! Mr.. Ward fsvors
1 $2.25 tax. That is not low tax BY
III means. Mr.. Ward believes that it is
as low as we can get this year and
the required pace. How many
sensible men among us think otherwisef
Thanking you for your space, Mr.. Edi-
tor, and the reader who had the patience
10 continue to the end of this screed,
am %
Yours for fair play,
One OF the jury of voters.