El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-17
TAXPAYERS FORM EAGI|E To
AID AND ENFORCE ECONOMY
Meeting at Chamber of Commerce Called By Charles N.
Bassett, Brings 100 Representative Men of County
To Discuss Means To Safeguard Outgo of
Public Money; Adopt Organization Plan.

I which the chair shall be an exofficio
mem Der.
Project Meets Approval.
The formation % the league met
with the hearty approval Of the men
/ who had gathered at the meeting and
this approval was freely voiced The
different taxpayers who expressed
themselves on the project condemned
certain practices of the city and county
administrations of the past in their
expenditure Of money and means OF
raising funds and held that the or
ganizauon Of a taxpayers league was
the only solution. general express
sion that the league be free Of all po-
litical connection was made by the
speakers.
Meeting Not for ViliifieatiOn.
Chairman Bassett opened the meet
ing by saying that the purpose was
to hear expressions from taxpayers
as to whether they desired to form a
lea que which would look after eypend-
itures Of taxpayers money in the ad-
miniStration of city and county al
fairs. lie said the proposed associa-
tiun had been accused OF attempting
to Villify certain officials of the coun-
" administration. but this was not
the case and the purpose, and tnat II
was not for the purpose Of helping
anyone escape paying taxes, but SIM
ply to regulate the expenditure OF tax
payers money in n businesslike way
Schwartz Advocntes Regulation.
A Schwartz said: Personally I have
advocated the formation of taxpay-
ers' league for months Only two
weeks ago brought it before a Ro-
tary club meeting. We need tax
PAYERS lea que here 10 regulate the ex-
penditure of the city and county. L
dom mean TO say that the public
money is being expended in an i'm
proper way The men who are spend
ing the city's and county's money are
Just as honest any Of US here. what
I mean is that they may lack business
ability. The league should not be for
the purpose of lowering taxes but TO
see that the money Is spent IN the
right way We should have stand
ing comm ittee whom the city and coun-
II officials should be forced TO con-
suit when expenditures are to be made.
lust the same as any bank Or business
corporation has its board OF directors
to look after these things. Three men
are always better than one in anything
There is not an officer or employee IN
the city or county who should not be
ooked after to see whether he Is doing
his duty properly Just as any bust
its clerks. I feel that A taxpayers
league should be formed for these pur-
poses"
No Apologies. Says MeNary.
we should make no apologies 70
anyone for forming taxpayers league
in FL Paso." said James G. McNary,
president of the First National bank
We should not have to ask permis-
sion TO take such action from any
body Of men or officials OF the city
OF county. because today We have one
set Of officials and tomorrow we hSVe
another but the taxpayers so on Tor
ever The only criticism /. or anyone
else can make is that we are too late
IN beginning the association. It should
have been done two. four or eight
years ago. II IT had been done long
ago. the taxpayers Of FL Paso would
he winners I don't say this in a spirit
Of censuring anybody. 1 wish TO back
up the movement started by Mr. Bas-
Sett and viii do all l can 10 help MN
in the responsibility OF organizing a
league and I believe that We should
make a complete organization today
Warns Against Politics.
Il agree with Mr. NcNary that we
should proceed to orsa nIze a taxPsy
ers' league" said Julius krakauer, nut
our progress. We must not lei this
drift into a political organization OF
any kind Another point is that thls
organization il not primarily Tor re-
of expenditures Of taxes. The purpose
of an organize ton Of this kind should
be- first to inv eStisate and then make
recommendations on any bono issues
which are proposed IN order 70 Ilnu
out whether they are or are not proper
We should see that the taxpayer gets
his dollars worth for every dollar
spent
They have taxpayers leagues all
over the United States. Last summer
when 1 was in California I found one
in one of the counties there. There
an expert was paid to look after the
interests of the taxpayers in the eX-
penditures Of their taxes
Taxes Heavier: Interest Grows.
THE organization Of q taxpayers
league has been talked by a good