Year: 1879

NOT EASILY SATIsFIED.-our peo-
ple are not easily satisfied. Ihey GULF
blamed last year because the taxes were
not made lower, and they complain 'n
wear because the Council have reduceu
the taxes. Mr.. Guthrie gives a very
sensible reason for the course oil COUNCIL
He doe, not think it economical to raise
. large sum of money by tax to be lei'
idle in bank from July to April. we
presume lie arrives at his opinions from
the fact that during all the last niteeh
wears of which the Democrats have peeh
In power but two or three, he has seen
the appropriations annually run OUT
and deficiencies voted and floating depts
created so large that they had to be
funded no matter how much money was
assessed upon the people and raised by
taxation. By the present rate Oh TAX
the Council will make an effort 10 con-
duct the city government until April
1t is perhaps better that there should not
be surplus in the treasury, as expert
ence has shown that it would certainly
be expended.


II the citizens want lower taxes, and
the city conducted within the amount
Of money raised upon the tax rate, they
must cease to make 50 many demands
upon the Council. They must be con-
tent to have fewer streets opened and
graded, and less work done on the
streets less money expended on sewers,
water works and pumps, and fewer
water pipes laid; and less money ex-
pended on the schools. In fact the city
must be to considerable extent denied
of some of its boasted excellencies, and
must wear neglected streets, and see
them less brilliantly lighted. This is
the conclusion that must be arrived at
so long as the city affairs are run in the
old ruts. The Republican party in
creased the city debt in the ten years
previous to 1878, about eight hundred
thousand dollars, and there is no way
Of escaping the payment of the interest.


Now, we don't believe our people
want to live any less comfortably than
they do. But they do want to know
whether all the comforts, light and
cleanliness and education they now have
from our City Fathers cannot be had
for less money than has been expended
heretofore.


We have hoped that the city coul'
be run with less money, and have FIRE
quently said so. But some of the mem
bers of the Council have told us it coui'
not be done. We have thought ant
urged that the streets could be kept il
order with less money under the con
tract system; and we still think SO
But many members of Council in bot
political parties have favored the aban
donment of the contract system. Ma
chinery has never been used here fo
this purpose. We believe it ought to b
introduced and the main streets of IL
city cleaned at night. The Council b;
been so long run in the old ruts that
will require some time to make prop
reforms. The Democrats found ther
selves in power with no money, al
thousands of debts to pay. They we
all last year endeavoring to get o
floating debt out of the way; and W
be better able next year to determi
just how much money will be necesss
to run the city, and thereafter act W
more exactness in levying the tax
At present they preferred to levy
lighter tax and leave the money in


pockets of the tax payers.


Perhaps this was the most prud


thing for them to do.