Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1920-12-18
Boost For lobe Hert In the Cabi-
net Has Fallen Very
Flat.
Near Mayor Smith Can Find Many
Ways to Cut the High Tax
Rate.
Keystone Police and ''Hick" Fire
men Needless Expense to Tax
payers.
CROOKS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.

Despite the effusive and Ions
winded editorial in the Louisville
Herald and all OF the nice things
said about Republican Boss lobe
Hert at the Ballard flour mill din
ner, II looks like the American peo-
pie will have to get along without
lobe as a member Of the next Cabi-
net. From "Howdy Ed" Morrow
and Ches Searcy down to the little
peanut politicians the cymbals have
been sounded and the big drums
have been beat in an effort to at
tract Harding's attention to Hert,
the big Republican boss from Ken
lucky. But President-elect Harding
and HIS chief advtser and campaign
manager Harry Daugherty are some
foxy politicians themselves and they
smile at the clartrap efforts of
Hert's followers here. Harding and
his friends will have to have ex-
planned to them why Kentucky,
which went 10000 Republican in
1919, gave its electoral votes to
Gov. Cox one year later, and all
good political critics know that Gov.
Cox's majority would have been
over $4,000 II not handicapped by
Beckham and his personally selected
campaign committee. That's a blot
on Hert's political record that the
Herald, flour mill dinner boosters
and the A.ttle peanut politicians
can't wipe out, at least not to the
satisfaction of Harding's cabinet
makers.
What an awful army OF converts
L. ~. In
ranks Immediately after the first OF
the year, and their conversion will
come on receipt of their tax bills as
sent out by the Smith administra-
ton which was elected on q plat
form of economy and reform. Many
and many a protest has been made
at the big increase in assessments,
the majority OF our citizens refusing
20 register a protest against the
raise having lost faith In securing
a fair deal from the "reformers."
Everyone naturally came to the con-
clus!on that the raise in assessment,
with the enormous increase It would
bring, might satisfy the greedy de-
mands OF the reform" administra-
ton. The present tax rate OF $1.98
is the highest in the history of the
city OF Louisville, and the highest
of any city the same size In the
country, yet near Mayor Smith now
comes forward with the intlmation
that the rate will be raised. To
camouflage the proposed gouge
Smith makes a fearful plea about
the schools needing the money. and
that n the tax rate Is cut the schools
VIII suffer. The plea of hurting the
schools is the biggest kind of bunk
and Smhhy's hand has been called
by the Louisville Real Estate Board.
who see through the sham n.y.
pocrisy of this spe1dthrift admins
Lration.
The near Mayor Tsplies to the
Real Estate Board by saying that
they might sugge-t where he can
cut the appropriation allotted any
DEPARTMENT. That question ought to
make everyone smile. For instance
the Board OF Works ought to have
gaved most OF their appropriation
from last year judging from the rot
ten condition OF our streets, and II
they pursue the same policy Of re-
construction and repair this year
the appropriation for that depart
ment can be cut to nothing. As
for the street cleaning department,
which conner under the head Of the
Board OF Works. most any citizen
could tell the near Mayor that this
department II II pursues It's present
policy will get through on a dime.
Street cleaning has been nil this
year and the Kentucky Irish. Amer
lean CHALLENGES that department to
name any alleys cleaned In the
three years OF this administration.
Possibly because It is named the
Street Cleaning Department alleys
are not supposed TO come under its
jurisdiction. only ''streets." II that's
the case why not rechristen It the
Street and Alley Cleaning Depart
ment. About the biggest item OF
expense the Board of Works has had
this year has been the purchase Of
many and varied types OF joker
flushers, and the bird that has been
making sales of these joker Dlushers
and maybe street cleaners has got
ten big share OF our large tax
rate. The maybe street cleaners
had to have about eight Wallets. the
machine not being able to digest
paner, banana reels. old rags, ETC.,
butts. the fire department being
Cdiieu Out !" 0AInl6uiSn tno lily
every time a cigar butt was swal-
lowed. That type of machine was
thrown In the scrap heap recently
and the joker flusher, another cost
~ venture. Is now the rage. The
Joker throws the dirt mp on the
pavement every night for the house
holders and business men to sweep
off ia the morning.
Another item OF EXPENSE that
couid he cut very readily and one
that will reduce the tax rate Is the
police and fire DEPARTMENTS. 1t is |
unjust for the taxpayers to pay for
fire protection when the department
Is manned by lot OF hicks" who
can't find the fire PLUGS to start
with and play safety first by not
going into q fire, the result being