Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 14, 1878, Page 5

THE CIIICAGO TRIDUNII: THURSDAY. CITY FINANCES. The Finance Committes the Board of Edu- The Latter Do Not Seem Inclined to Do Much Cuttinge Ingenions Plans Sugzgested by Alder- men and Qutsiders—The Comp- troller and Mayor, Ex-Comptroller Iayes Does Not Agrco with the Suprome What the Constitutional Convention Moant by Its Prohibition of Indebtednoss A Talk with Insurance Men—The Oitizens' Assoointion—A Varlety of Buggestions, TAE FINANCE THE PUBLIC LIBOARTY. The Finance Committes met at 3 o'clock and re- sumed the conalderation of the estimates, Mr. Shorey, of the Library Tionrd, was present, snd, in reply to a questionoato whether the Conn- ¢il bad power to levy atax fora Public Library, he sald thero could be no qouestion about it, since Bec, G ot the Gencral Incorporation act continned In operation all laws and patts of Jawa pot in con- COMMITTEE. ‘This wan satiafactory, and the Committeo took up the $14,000 appropriation maked for by the Mr. Shorey was not disposed to yleld much, After half-an-tonr's talk, the Committee voted {o allow $20,000, to be used as the Doard saw fit, Mr, fhorey sald the Library would have to shut ap for a year, * AW, Pearsons twas sorry, but, ssid he, **We must snbmit to the Inevitable." CONPERENCE WITH TILE LOATID OF EDUCATION, Ly this tima the wholo Noard of Education, and the Superintendent, Clerk, and Attorney. had are ‘They came in response to an invitation of tho Commitieo to advise with them about eatting ng talked about was (hs power of the Counctl Lo Jevy a tax for achool pnrose, Inspector Afuold remarked that he liad not given mach thought to (he natter. thrown out by the bress without much conaldera- slun—ono of ihose astuta suggeations thrawn out in tlnes of pubhic calamity in order to create more didn't think thero was any ressonable ground to doubt the pawer of the Conn- ¢l tolovy tax for tho support of the rchools. Tho question was not entiticd to erave considera- tion, Mayor lleath sald no sttention need be paid to the matter unless tho declaion of the Bupreme Court repealed the old charter provision on the fe Attorney Perking stated that he had examined tho queation to some cxtent, and had no doubt on the subject. Bee. 62 of tha General Incorporation sct gave tisa Councll power to lav: porate purposcs, and It was concede requited tho schools to be malntained. however, fiot required by_statute that wvisitors ™ bo entertained. tho Bupreme Conrt. hroop asked if tha Township Doard of Edneation was nut required to lcvy the tax. Perkins answored in the nogative, There could bo no Townahlp Board 1n Chicago, be- csuee the Jaw provided that, in_cities of 1 {nbapitants, thero shonld bo a Board appolnted by To Doard conld 'y & La: Ald. Pearsons inqnired if the Loard coul money on their property, kina thought it could, with the con- carrence of the Councll, for the purposs of main. talning the schooals, Ald.” Pearsons—\Would tnat bo increasing the 1 think it would, ‘Then thero is no laop-hole It was 8 sugecstion cmbarrassment, That was tho polot do- Attorney Perkii thera, 'rdhu catimates of the Doard wera thon cxsm- ed, Al Pearvona wanted to know if the schools could be run for the $200,000 which wouid b tained from the State, and from renta, ctc. Inspector Suillivan sald they could not be open the wheda achool yesr for that sum. inonth to run them,” Ald, Pearsons aaid that not one dollar conld be ppart of tha schooln this yesr, ould bo cut down to the ‘min- nalscd for tho Tho estimates inum, Inspector Nennls remarked that nothing could be predicated on & tax which woull not bo collected Unly what wos ahaolutely required No ono could tall shat would ‘Thoe Boord was not now meet- ‘The salarics were very buit been asked for. bappen next year, ing the nocds of tha city, More school-houses wero requlired, auns were Row spent for rent of Lulldings which wers anfit for thoe purpose. disposed to ent vory litle on the school estimates, the children could not by elucated, the Government was a' falluro, bout compulsory education, sald he, when 20,000 ctifldres are wall for accommodations. i in Trensury which could be used for crecting build- ings. Comptroller Farwell remarked that that amonat bad been accumulated from back taxes. Ald, Pearsonn—liow much back taxes are there? uumlm“" Farwell—-Not including 1877, 83, Ald, Fearsons—Ilow much of them whit you col- Comptrollor Farwoll—1I can't tell. ered in about 8:300), 000, apector Sullivan the money neces: 1d tho oand wonid nothave I{ the January expeuses 7. ut that time $20, recetved from the Blate. would be necured. tide over February, tional would come 1he State in such drif Tor the snpport of the schaol them opun about faur montas, Comptroller Farwsll—Tho lioard has $100,000 of cannot borrow tho mane ou will be short $4, 000, orrowlng for ono. ¢ > But thls money cama from that it could " not Lo ussd They could koep ¢ty bonaw, but if I E:nhlblleu from 1nspector Bulllvan #ald the money recolved from the Stato could bo usod only 1o pay the teachers, Tlh Jonitors and current cxpenses must be looked T8, AW, Pearsons asked how much of the §150,000 of back runts could be collected. L Inapector English waid tho bulk of secured, sluce thoso wlu owed it were in- tolveat, Purhapa $15,000 might bo obtained from ‘Fhose back rents grew out of the fact thay the Council managed (he school lands. 0 the Jioard had had chario of them every dol- Isr duo had been collected or was collectablo, 0w was about $100, 000, At can you cut outof theso 2, 000 for build- Are they indispensable? Inspector Sullivan belleved they could got along this year without them. Twrpoctor flotz wntd that jtem looked ahead. ‘They did not expect the baildings to be erected for g remarked that, 1f monoy could ot bo gotten, the achoold could nat ba kept up. Inspecior Bullivan sald that the tion increased at the rate of 3,000 8 year, and four twelve.room bulldings 1o accommodate them, could not be cut down nhn:rvnlon Tates. V¢ woula never lacomne from thom y Ald, Toursons—\ estiates? Heore ln o salarlcs of teachers mare. Thoy wero now 1d be better Lo closo the Ald, Peorsons—TBut your fanitors? You ask for ¢ cut the others down Lo $000. Inspector Bullivan—We must have good men, would Lot put 1,000 children under tho care of an weompetent’man for the suko of saving $100, Hoyne said the sslaries of 0 down ta $150. vo soine statistica about $400: 10, $450: 73, 8300; 75, & ‘'hey did one-third maro work than hough thelr wagus bad been cut down Pearsona was opposed (o cutting down the aried teachers, but the high oncs should be It wau the deslre of tho Committec to do ustice to the cause of wducatlon, but be did Link the wembers of the Board fully realized the ¢ondition the city was In. if the §142,000aud **some s "' wero lopped off. the other flems d. 1o aidu't belleve It was rigut De rented if nothing better could be don resslon wau that tha city w Holo condition s was Fould not repudisto the uprone Court's decislon, e up, Thelr pluck uted, e wurl- notwithstanding They are uot golng to y udn't deseried them. 14, Seaton agrved with Ald. Throop on thu cute alluded to the resolutions o Citlzcns' Unlon fn reference to giving tiona to the groutcat Dumber, off, {f It wore neccsssry, ol oy tellected bls sentinients. toscuberg wan not dn tavar of drapplog the bo bullt sowe Umw. from tho subject to e v was some talk of & conetitutioual .urndmenl to get 1ha city out of troubdlo, bt unto the day §s tho evil thercol," Tha city baukrupt, but men sometimes went into tho c out better off than thoy ILaugbter. | na eald thai the Commitiee was the aituation wore and more every ed the Board of Kducation (o como §a ult about pruslng, they must not shake 'The scbools must wandered aws, rupt Court and thelr beadn and Wo The estimates munt 6¢ ent down, Inspector Hotz snggested that the Roard take np the eatimaten sgnin and go over them carcfully, &nd do what conld bo done towaril redncing thes. Ald. Pearsana expressed rotisfaction, anid men+ tlaned (hat the Mayor had anked that bis sainry be cot down to &1, 500, and that Kngincer Chesbrongh had nald, **Taka $300 off of mine, " Theretipn the ' Commtea _ adjoarned. The Toard will meet this sveninz, so as to submit the revined eatimates to_ the Committes by Fritay af- ternonn. Bat the Inenectors will confer with' tha Committee thia morning in _order to got their jdeas a8 10 where Lhe kuife should be appiied. THE CITY-IIALL. TMERB WAS KO CHANGE YESTERDAT In the Intercatingly mized condition of city affairs. ‘The Government, like the One-linrse Bhay, has dropped to pieces, and a new coach mast be built. But the wagonmaker's ehop Is twenty-two months' Journey ahcad, and the Mayor and Comptroller, seated oh tho thillsof the old vehicle, are awaft- ing (ho coming of 8 Good Bamaritan to help them over tho rosd, Doth aro more hopetnl than they were Monday, and they are o cheerfal when taiked 1o that ona I8 Jed to think that they sec their way cloar, but are not willing to divalge what they hove In mind. The Mayoraald to & TRInCXE re- porter {lint noveral plans had heen suggested, and ali ho wanted was the Council to hurry up and pass the Aporopriation biil. When that wan done, he wonld provido means somehow or other to go on. ‘The Comptroller sald, **Wae aro going 10 keep the wheels moviog, * **llow?™ asked the reporter. **It fan't lime to tell you onr scheme," wWas the reply. Abont every other man in the city has A PLAN which, In his view, wonid give relief. but, like thoss which have been suggested by citizena to his ilonor, they sro defectlve. Among the new ones which were made known yesterdny was ono pro- osed by Mr. C, IV, Farwell, **The Mayor," raia Ee. **should advertiae & list of all the delinquent tapoyers, and notlfy them that if they do not pay up within 8 certain time, ali protection will be withdeawn from them and Uieir property; and the tuieves and thugs should be glven a hint that they will not be interfercd wit. If they commit dcpre- dations againat the persona or property of such Elr(ll: I'nls would bring the delinquents to the ity Treantrer's office at ahort notice," and, he might bave added, *'put the givers of such binte into the lenitentiary, ™ ANOTHER PNOFOSITION has been hatched ont which is chicfly of interest to the tax-flubiters, iunamuch as 1t would enable them 10 beat all their taxes next year. It is N!chlled that, In order to utiitzo the tax-lovy inmediately, a Crealt-Mobilier of bankeraand business men o formed which will underiake the payment of all the city's expenses, and take of 8 accurity the war- ranta drawn ou the City Treasary, In order todo this, it wunld be necessary to adil to the Appropela; tiun for every corporate purpose an ndditlonal sum for contingent expenscs, oot of which could bapala 7 or 8 per cent Intorest for from twelto fo eighteen months on the aum approprated, “Then, natend of giving to each city employe & warrant for hie pay, a warrant would he draws for the total sum of tho paysroll of each Department, as {a now the case in tho Department of Public Worke fu the payment of its day-laborers, and ua is alzo the caso with the employes of the Water- Works, The foremau ot person in charge of each Department wonld thuns be given a warrant for the total amount of the pay-roll of his bureav, and to this pay-roll would be added a sufticient Ainount to cover the intorest. Thia wa: t would then, tor gether with the pnrrnll. bo handed over lo thie Credlt Mobitier, which would advanca the moncy for ita payment, ~ After the tax had boen collceied the Credit Mobiller would present its warrants st tho City Trensury and get its pay. Inthe mean. while it wonld raire the money 1t needed either by hynothiccation of the warrania or by the tesus of certificates of indebtedness of its own, bearing ine terest at © per cent at the most, THENE BEKMA TO BE AN INPRESSION among sons people that, if the cltizens them- selven, in whole or in part, carry on, by private subscription, the Uity Uovernment,—if, for {n- stanca, thiey wero to lidividually pay tha wages of thy police-force for 1874, and thint if an appro. rrllhnu wero to be made by the Councll this year for police, and_tho money wers to bo collected along in 1870, that this money no coilecied, having been levied for the support of the polics-force for 1478, could not be uwed by the Council for any other purpose, and would remain in the Treasury, ‘This fa an orror, 08 any ono mignt know who had ever looked At an apprapriation bill and sccn the copstant sopropriation of such and auch a sum, and glso ‘*the unexpended balance of last year's approvriation.” Should there be sn sppro- priation of $200,000 this year for airect- cleaning, and ehould tho cltizens themselyes cloan tho strects thla year, and should that 8200, 000 ever be collected, it could ba approvelated by the Councll efther for atrcet-cleaning In any aubse« ucut year or fer any other corporato purposc, — fue paying the intorest on the bonded dobt, for paying the lpflllcv.“ or for bullding sowers. " For thfs reason, It would bo & very good thing If citi zonawero to contribute to any extent for paylng the wages of pulicemen or firemen, for catrylng on the schiools, or for atrect-cleaniug, becsusa the equivalent of {ho auount thns advanced by them would remain in the Treasury, and would go to- ward the accumulation of tint” surplus fund which the city must uitimately have in urder to carry it over tho period which elapses between tho levying and collection of jla taxes. TUE PUBLIC LINRARY, Thero waa a guod deal of talk Fumnlu aa to the loas uf nower by the Council under the Su- premo Court's declaion, and thero Is of conrse 4 diversity of opinlon as to ita far-reaching effect. ‘As reguras tho Public Library, therois io quess tion but that, shoula the tax “for it ever be cone teated, the Bupremo Canrt will hold the tax vatld on tho ground that the Library act and the Ueneral Incorporation act wore passcd st tho samo scrsfon of the Legialature, andittiat acts thus possed ros lating to the same goneral subject, should, if possible, be canstried together, 8o a9 to glvg effect to botn. It will be noticed, by luoking at the Public Library act, that it rofers to ** Uit Counc)™ fnatead of **Comman Councll, " usin tho new dexgnation adopted by the first Genoral Assotnbly after tho adoptlon of the Constitution, and tho samo phraso which occura in the G eral Incorporation act, It will doubtives be held that thera ia no tuconslslency hetwoun the two, and that thoy can atand together, as I the LIIJrfll'F aet were one Articlo of the Incorporation act. ‘I'his, however, docs not apply to the Schaol act, ‘The membera of the Hoard of “Education are Inclined to treai e matter Mghtly, thinking the wint made svout the Council havingnoe power to evy a tax to support the sclivols s not worth con- idering. Sinco the question is naw pending In tho Supremo Court, and bas been fully argued be- fore them, an oxamination by the attorney of the oard in, perbapm, unnceemnry; and it o likely that the matter will not occupy the Doard's atten- tion for & moment, IN TILE MATTCR OF THE ATPROPRIATIONS, Combtiolier ¥arwell said that injustice had been done bim by Tur Tribuse. 1le had not, as was intitnated, tolidty opposcd " a reduction, but had sald, If nis ostimatcs wera cat dawn, it could not be expected ¢ lis ofiico snould be run as it waanow, lle would do the besthe conld. 'The Mayor had sald the same. They wero the only *+ Lo ofiicers * who were heforo the Finance Com- mittee Tuesday, ** You have heard of the coming {njunction, I presume?” sald the reparter, ++1 saw thy statement In Tz Tarsuxs that one was to bo applied for. Tuat e what | want, 1 sbould tke to sce thoquestionof thy lu‘;’:ll(y of tha resent certificatos tested, [ don't beliovo any Sudn i Chleago would lssue an injunction re. strainiog 1 ty frem paying ita justly coniracted oblivatiots, **Towhat extent have yon drawn agulustthe $4,000,000 levied for 1877 “Weo have [{ssuod warrants for a little over $3,000,000.° Ao thoy held mainly by the peoplaof Chie cago m“l Yes. Not $100,000 of them went ont of the ate.” +*How many lax-cortificates does the city hold1* *+About 000 worth, Including specisls, ™ ++\What do yon think of thie warrant sclionie,— flvlnfl an empiloye a warrant inal of money for hila servicear . *+'That be mado to work, but 1cannot pay the futerest un the bonded debt with them.'* ;‘- Dl“dm: think the Councll bas power (o levy s school.taxt" ++1 do. If1t was tho indention of the Legisiatare take away that power we ahauld hsve Loard of 1t before now, " *+1layo you redeemed any certificates to-day?" *+Yes; one for $100 came due, snd was laken " P, . ** Yon will continno doing so?** st Certalnly. L can't do otherwise withont ‘violating my oath of ofice. Puouple advaaced the money Lo pay the expenscs ot The city has not pald thiem, and will not have pald them until vf 1877 arecoliccted. ~ Johm Bmith pald s of two policemon Jast yi H s the sal tfhic $1,000 which the city owes t| ‘p:llcumv'n 'l rlv- 1t so John smith, The money doesn's belong fo tho elty. ™ ++ Yon cannot use 11 for paying expenses now?* ++ No, and 18 I8 nonsensa to any T cun, ‘Yo city hasn't pald ita expenses for 1577, and money ap- vrapriated for 1877 caonot be usod in 1678." 3 What are you golug to dot ++ We can't unyn ing unt'l the Appropriation blll Ls passcd, and the tax for 1878 Is levied. TiIB ALDERMEX. Meoling Ald, Lawler, tho reporter asked him It he had concocled *41 havi **Unbosom yourself, ' tued of oll the tax gghters should be fuinied ua caavas, and the canvas tackvd fo the euce arvund the City-Hal night, cal- cium llights should "be used vo that passcrs-by could scv the names of the men who ara responal- blo for tho condition of the city. " **Iiat that woulda's ald the éanmmml to con- tiou: **No, but It woulda't do the tax-Sghters any , 178 man read the nama of & grocery man or & clothier he would say, *lelio,he's ons of 'cin, Is he? Tl not buy my zoods of bim sy more.' ’lflhfl:::‘ ay the city could get cven with thosa cllo Ald. Cullerton slso ssid hoe had an jdes. *+What is 181" asked tha reporter, ** ltalso mune&b&lndlu:t taxation, " Could 1h uel" 10 1s the authority for 11" o Aldernian fob a cooy of e Revised Stat- ules, sud pointed to the fast sectlan under the headof **The Powers of the Counctl,” which reads: *To pasasll ordipauces, rulcs, snd make all regnintinny proner ar neceseary fo carry into effect the powern granted to cities, ¥illages,” ate. This, he thonzht, was ample. om would' you require to take ont 5 iners men of all kinds, and profeesional \ en. LAV an ordinance be passed?" 4T will b of L in legal, "t **1a the matlor being looked np?" *‘itwill be. The nitention of the Law Depart- ment has heen called to It. " **That would yield immediate revenne? " **Yen, When the ordinance in Sum\nnml thirty daye, it in n Iaw, and money wonld come in aboat Anrsl 1. That 18 whiot they propose o do In Lo ‘That city 1 in the same fix as Chicago, ow do yon acconnt for it?" *4The tronble I8 dne to tho bogue A Men who have a stock of gruceries, sy, return without swearin to it (naths are dom requlred by the Axsessoras for £10, 00 8 fire occur in their store, and they will prove upa Tons of $200,000, The oswessmeiits on persunal nroperty nre simply aamnable, ] tonk the tronhle, when | was a halllif, to Jook over the books that were at the MheriT's oflice, and 1t aurprised even me, 1don't wonder the o [lonrd of Equaliza. tion doables up un the asserament. 1f they wonld add twico as much they wonldn’s get within 30 per cent of the worta of the property, The men who make theso retarns aro what you call the pablic amrited citizens of cago. “They expect addl. tinna to the nsseaxment and prepare for It but the men who have bit bittle property and who make honest returns, and are ‘required every time to swear to them, have to pav the fiddier, while these public apirited citizens Auht thelr tazes, ' Tuo Alderman wan exciicd, no the reporter left him for other prey. 11ia scheme cannot o earried out, sinea the Councll has no **power ™ to licence merchants or professional men, Hevenne might be ralsed by donvling up on saloon, auctivneer, and Tiack licenscs, and Heensing lumber-yards, brokers, etc,, hut the Council cannot jicenso anybody not mentloned in the General Incorporation act. THR MAYOR was fonnd {n his oflice, and was_ very communiea« tive, Nothing could be done, he sald, until the Appropriation bill was pusseil. and he hoped to vet the Council at work on It Monday night. ilospoke of the necensity for making euch an lpgmpl’ll"un a8 to leave a surplus, the expenses of the Giovern- ment to be cut down as much as poesible, 1o had contemplated balancing the books st the end of December so thint (he Council could commence on the bill {n Januacy. This would have saved n month or six weeka® time, but it could mnot ba done, This year 1t would be tried again. Tne charter onght to be changed 8o that the appropria. tion could be made in tho laat instead of the rest quarter of the year, Jle did not know what {he Coupell would do. The strcets nced not ha cleaned or paved. or the sidewalks repaired, but in casa of accldents the city would be Jtable for damages. 1lesaid that the money now coming In conld not hg uscd for current fexpenses, since the rourta had decided that the money in one fund could not be Lransferred to anothor. 'The cnr{lnmllun was not liable, under the recont decision, far indcbtedneas now fncurred. If it were constrited Hterally thero wos no power to ruin the Government. Al the machinery must be stopped, even the making of an sppropriation, which the law says stail be made. None could be made without officers, Of cunrse he could not fol. low It unicsa he took tho heroic courae advucated by some, 1ocked the duors, anil let the cltizens anh- acribe for the turning of the bridges, and for po. licemen, and puliing out frcs—letting all go cx- cept the Small-Tox Hospital. 1f tms wero dono, how wan un appropriation to be lovied and the tax cullc:tllcdr ‘The decislon, if followed out, led to anarchy, EX-COMPTROLLER ITAYILS., I8 VIEW OF THE SITUATION, A Trinuxe reporter called on Nr. 8. 8, Ilayes, ex-Comptrolier, last evening for the purpose of learning hia sicws on the subject of tho city's preaent critical Sinancial condition, hte opintons of the Jegality of tho certificates lesued during his term of office, in the light of the recent Supreme Court decislon, his vlewa of the Supreme Court's interpretation of the ciauso in the new Conatitu. tion relating to municipal Indebtedness, snd more particalarly the naturo of a vlan of escape which, It was stated yesterday, he hiad thought out. Mr. Hayes was fonnd to bo very willing to talk. In fact, a}l that the reporter had tu do was to stato the object of his vielt, as he has just stated it & few linea above, and Mr. layca, who {s probably aa familiar with tho subject In all its detaflsae any man in Chicago, procceded to givo his viows g follows? **3t {2 a subject.” eald he, **tfiat Involres so many different refations that it cannot bo solved in a momont, or a day, or 8 week., All the different contingencies and probabilities hava to be auly welghed. [ think tho declslon of the Supreme Court is Ty mel. 0. CLEARLY ERRONEOUS, In the first place, I donot attack any importance 1o the distinction made between different classes of cestificatea, The queation of the power to issue them depends entirely upon the exfstenco of tho facts which would justify the city in contracting a loa: 1t the city does not, by making a Joan, add io its permanent debt, it does not matter whethor the alleustion s simply by parol or In writing of any pacticalar form, or whether it In an obligation arfsing on account of work and lahor being done, or for money recelved fur the nse of the clty, in any avent, i{ the work and labaror money havecome into the poasession of tho elty for the purpose of carrying on the buniness for which avpropriations have becn duly made, thon [ think theta is na question bat thiat the city has a right to avail itself of the offer of cither Iabor or monoy for its tempo- rary relief, It is not posaible for any city of large ypopulation to rlrrly on Lusintes for o rorm of, say, twelve or elghteen months, or two years, without '9 20mie way or other anticipating its re- sourcea 10 come in, unless it has money uctually in hand, or unless it surrenders all the business and cmployment of the city Into the haods of capitaliste * who can afford to walt so long a time, and who will relmburea themeclven by much greater charees. Dut, e & 1arge portlon of the services rendered the city are necessarily rendered by the poor classes who must recelve from month to month the means of sup- porting life, we may say, practicslly, that no large ity can carry on 118 AifAlTa for ouw or two years without anticipating it resources unless 1t hass ind. think the declslon of the Supreme rly vrronocauy, [ criticlse the opinlon itaslf, It shows want of care in it prurnnuon. It doca not discuss any of the suthoritles which were referred ta by Justice Bcott ts dissnrting opinton, Lut it In & mera excrcivo of arbitrar power, declaring the vpinlon of the Court that such sich waa the meaning of tho Constitution, that thercfore thuy are to declde s0 ond 80, without reason. without sny convideration of tho conditions of thin, od with- out any resort whautover to consto . Tho mere fact that tho Conntitntion nsen strong phrass- ology, and by the Jaticr of the Conntitution every kind'of indebinesa 10 prohibited, doce not neces. sarily lead to the conclusion that there can be no form or kind of indebiednoss wihich s not witlin tho provieion, The pisaner and purpose referred toln the Constitution aro the manner of contracts iniz classes of dgbit that the Convention hiad In view, and tho porposy for which thoss debts wers ine curred. The ovil which the Cotvention had in view was tho INCILEASE OF A PUNDED DEDT by tho varlous cltics and munlcipalitios In the Btate, and also outalde,—because the same pros vislon was adopted In referenco to tho Btate ftaulf, —by which tho charges of present Impruvements aod enjoyments were throwi upon posterity, lIn order to ascertsin the extent of that evil, thoy called npon the Auditor of State to furnlsh them with 8 Jet of thadehts of the varlous municipatl. tles in the 8tato. The Auditor furnished n list of that kind, In which he reported only the funded dobts of these municipulitics, and specified In his report that they were funded debts, = The Convens tlou received that zoport without “dlsapprobation 88 being a full compliance with the terms of thelr request, The provision tuat was in- corporated In the Constltution was, substantially, one fntroduced by myxclf In the Coavention. Tlie object 1 had in view was Iho same I had inthe Convention of J848 In advucating & lmitation on the power of the Etate lo increass her fundod dobt. It was (o relleve our municipalities from the danger of bankruptcy and s from the great Increass of funaed dabts for purposcs that werg not wirictly ne«mr{ Durlng that_proposition_in Its mewmbers of the Convention expresscd thelr views, snd I min vory clear fn the recollection that fi paseed without a dissentiog yolce. Tho opinlon of the membors of the Couveatiun was, that the clause 8 roported snd fnally adobted was appli cable only 1o & permanent fouded debt. And [ think une member 1o particular, Judge Alien, of Crawlond County, In alluding to the operation of & simllar clauso upon the Btatc, mentioned the fact that it did not prevent the Stale from making s subordinate contracts, to bo carricd out and o pald foron the receipt of the taxes which were 1o be Javied. That fe mv opinion In reyard to tne view that the Convention hicld at that time. **1 don't wuppose, myself, and do not belleve, that the provisiva in gouersi suvposca that an ens gazement made by & municipal corporation, to em- ploy policamen, school-teavhicry, Srewmen, or uny Decossary oflicers ta carry on the govornmcat when the mcand are being urovided by taxation for thefr ywent, creates a dedt withln the meaniog of the Conetitution, It docs, witlctly speaking, create & debt, When P a month for the city, owes him ous month’s wagel U reasoulng of the Bupreme Court that debt would be probibited by the Constitutlon, Being prohibited, it would Ve a vold claim againat tho city, and conscquontly conld not bo pald by say officer acting under his oath aud responsible for ‘his bond. Such a con- struction ir a forced constructivn, and one that fs 1n direct oppaltiun Lo thu spins of tho Constitution Atsell, and 1o the purposa for which 1t was adopt- ed. The Conatltution wae desigued to protect tho fleaplo both of munlcipalities and of the Stato at rge from the danger of insuvordinallon, to sg- cure to them tbe blessines of good goverament, and at the lowest cost, and upon cqultable ofdistribution. Thoy dld mot desire’ Lo destro thoss orgamizations that protected 8l people in tholr rights snd pvoperl{{. aud sny construction that would have that elfcct would do violeace to the spint of the Constitution, and would be rejected b‘v # Court entortaining a broad and comprebonsive vigi BE! w ol the subject. *Again, It tho obligation to & policeman or to s school-teacher 16 & debt. tho oblizstion W the man tbat furulebes the moncy Lo pay them ls X0 MOHE A DEDT THUAN THE OLLIGATION TO PAY TUE POLICEMAX or achool-teacher. If the city bas 8 right to pay the polico, she bas & right to pay a third party who payw the police. 1tis cssentially the sawe thing fn principle, and all that fs ry to create nn_ obllgation upon C the city fn that money hns been recelved by the ety for the luwlnl porpoee of carryine on ity aufonomy, and, after having made the properappro- [riation and levey of taxes, to relmburse it, “Thie o1n {4 not an indebtednenn that increases the debt ot theeity, ‘Itinmat by finmediaie tazation. Jt 14 deawn from the immediate resonrces af the present citizens, It 14 1ot in Any aense o borden apon posterity and ia not within the parview of tha Conntltution, as being ne af the eviln ought 1o b remedied by the prohihition in queation, v+ Another rearon why the constraction in wrongz 15 this: The Conventlon itaelf rencrred to different municionlities the right to pay the oblizattons in- cnrrad hefare the & m of the Constitation. Al the funded dabt ma tior to the adoption of the Conatitution {8 lezaltzed by the Consiitation It seifiat Jeast it 1 reganded a4 not impaired. An easential part of the deht is TIIB ACCRUING INTRREST. The clty owes abont $1:3, 000,000 of & funded debt. The intereat which sccrocs every six monthe 1a a part of the debit sud Incldent 10 i, and the debt It- self ta preatly impaired in valne if the fnterest ceares 10 02 pald. Now, under the Constitation of the Gnited States, the Convention of the State of Tilinnia has no rizht to impair the obiigation of contracts, ana all attempta 1o prevent the incur- ring of temaorary loans for the parpose of fifl{hlg iuterent on a publie deist in advance of the caliec- tlon af taxas to pay that Intereat are in violation of the Constitation of the Unlited Btates. At lcast twn paymenta of interest aro neccavary afrer the eppropristion it made, and befors the col- lection of .ages. There i no other way to pay Ioterest on the funded deht of A ecity than to larrow temporarily money ta pay then untit the amount Ia within the Trena- ury fo reimbursn ft. That view shows tho an- nurdity of the construction of the Sunreme Const. Iteannot be aupposed that the Conventlon in. tended tn prevent the payment of intezest on the public d that It adopted this brond phrareology with the idea that It was not to be snbject to cone struction; and it eannot he supposed that it in- tended by that to deprive these municipal corpora. tions of the pownr to make temporary loans, **If the Conntitution cannot prevent, anda falr constriction of the Constitution wonld not be held to prevent, tho fncarring of temourary lnans to meet the Interest on the bonded dobt, it cannot be suoposed that the Convention Intended the dis. grace of the municipailtics which had grown up within the Ntate. J’rlor 10 tho ndoption of Con- stitation, ~Chicage had grown up from a village to be a city of nearly half a miiifon {n- liabitunts, Enormous aniounta of money had been Invested here, and society had estabiislied fteelf in & clore relatlon of citizens and property-owners, living under a certain charter under which they bad a right to bo protected [n their persons and property. ILwaanot competent for the Conven. tion to deatroy these municipal corporations, They ean control the forma of the organizations within tho City of Chicago, bnt they cannot, under the Constitution of the United” Btates, destrvy the pruperty nud the liborties of her peaple. Nor did ihey intend to do In{ wuch lllln?. They bad no dea and no purpose to withhold from them all the Dowers that would be necessary for theircontinnea cxistence and of their protection in the enjoyment of theie propert; and thelr personal rights, Consequently, 1 conclude that thin dechilon of tne h\l\lrflnm Court In not well founded in reason, and will not bear tho teats of examina- tion and the Judgnicnt of the enlizhtened members of the legal “profession, cither in 1llinols or any other Ktate. ' Sty OPINION 18 that all tho oblizations of this character which have been made by the clty will be enforced by the courts of tho Unlicd States. 1t is really one com- uensation for the great snd alarming Increase of Federnl power that, when such occasion an this has lsen, there 18 some prutection sainat i1l-advised action of the Stale authoritics, 'The city has gong ontsido of hee limita to borrow moncy from talists in other States. She has re- ceived tholr money at reasonadlo rates of interest, . Bho fas used It for her benefit. It has been of grest value to her, al- thiougli porhaps to somo extent it may have been ely applied. Dut the parties who have ad- vanced this monov aro in justice, equity, and right entitled to §1s repayment with ' Interest, and they sroaiso entitled morally tobo protected by the prompt payment of theee oblizations as they matiire, llaving these rights, they are protected Dy the Constitution of the United States, and can apply to the courts of the Uniterl Statcs to enforce tugir _claims, I am perfoctly satised that tho Supreme Conrt of the Unlted States will enforco all domands " of such n character agalnst the cily. They will enforce them by conipelling the city to levy taxes to pay thosa obllgativus. " If the Supreme Court of IiH- nofs undertako to prevent the - action of the city authorltics under the magdatea of the Court of the United States, it will place itsclf in_rcbelllon agninst the higher power, and we well know (hat they would bs compelled iyyicld to the superior {:_oner #nd anthorlty of the’Supremo Court of the States. "Then, It these abligations will ba enforced by the Federal Courts, and tnat fact is rlcnrl{ estab- lithed to the satlefaction of the capitalisia vlse where, and if tho disposition of tha people of Chicago shall be, 8 [ bellova It 1s and will'be, to pay those obligatlons, and also to carry on. in a reasonable way, with econonty and yot with sound Judgment and duc rogard to the wanls of her peo- Ple, the Government of the city, thero will be a way fuund by which all the monoy necessary for n‘x.n c.}"" uge can be obtained from capitalists abroad, +] don't, myself, belleve that the condition In ‘which we now are will continue very long, 1have great confidence In the intellizence and sound undgment of this communily, although ney are liable to bu misied at thuos, and althuugh the present declsion perhl;’ 1a wwing in part 10 & infataken iden In rogard to pubiic uglnhm In Chicago, Yet Iam satlsfied that, under this exigency, the people of Chicago will show goud sensn, muderatlon, confidence fu them- sclves, and confidence in thelr own future. 1ses no caune for great alarm, although I hellove that great distreas will ensuo very soou unlesa it Is an- tlcipated by wise und judicious moasures on the part of the city authoritios.™ Of cournc the reporter wantod to know what ‘*WISR AND JUDICIOUS MEASURES' Mr, Nayes had to sdvocate—in ather words, what was his **plan" **1 don't liko," sald he, ‘‘{o loy ont a plan in advance for tho clty authorities, when I know that thoy are conefdering the whole subjoct, and it might scem liko an inipertinence for me to inter- fere by way of sugzestions, I can only say th thoy ought not to show, In Iu(ju tnent, thy leas algn of weskness, Al the talk’ about discharging Imhl‘emcn. vacating the public schouls, and bring- ing the actlon of the City Qovernment to an eud, should cease. It should be taken an s fundamental principlo that tho zovernment of Chicago tust be carried ou, and that [t should be carried on, and the city ~suthoritles should cisim that they have ~ the right to carry un the government, and that thoy will find the ineans to daro, Intho meantime, all thoss who are work- ing for the city, and all whoare protecting the city, stionid be d that tho city nas no purposs to recugnize thu necensity of vacating the functiona of government; that a way will be found to meet the diticulties of the case; and that, as soon as that way can be found, a provision will be made for the ‘payment of all thuse who have dunm‘n with thacity, And 1 would A furthier, that it Te » mistakten policy, in miv opinlon, to undertake at this tine further reductfons In tho wages of city employes. In proportion to the uncertaluty of a prompt payment of what they oarn arises the necesaity of an Increase of their” wages tu insure them against contingeacles, sud for the Council or the Finance Committee lo urge at thix time further reductions and further oppression upon 1ho Jarge number of puople who aro rencering serve ices to the city without recelving their pay is Jrritating and aggravaling, and may becoma dan erous to the public peace, I don'tthink that thero sany piobability of the city going beyond o year withuut belng fully provided with the micaus (o pay lior obiigationa thatshe may incur atihisiimo for her support, even if tbs decision of the Bupreme Court #hould ba held to bo wound law. It s onw of thoue occasjous In which the rellel will surely come, and It witi come, if from no other quartor, frum the peaple of lliinols themselves, 'Tho peoplo who work for the city will not be robbed of " their_just earnings through any technlcality of the law, Thuy thorefare, as they have the power, make a provision eithor by an’ amendment of the Con- stitution or otborwise 30 ihat all theso personys shall 1 bne recelve thelr pay, and it the duty of the cily, If there {e a rcasonablo proa- pect of @ long delay in the paynient of her em- vloyes, to jicroase thelr compensation to such an extent 3¢ to reimbureo to them the lose thoy will suffer by reason of thatdclay, ‘Thia is the goneral viow that I have, but thore are detalls, and plans, and metbods of which 1 have thoo, hunm.v:nn‘ but which 1 have not matured autiiciently to fac! Justified in presenting thom ta the pablic,* AROUND TOWN, TUK INBURANCE MEX, A Tnnuxs reporier yeslerday (alked with a namber af prominent Insuranco men in regard to the present Snanclal situation of the city, and how they viewed it from an nee standpoint should the Fite Department have to be disbanded, Of course, LaSalle stroes was (he great flold for the nows-hunter. From what he conld lesrn, some of the Insurance people have consulted to- gether upon this very subect. 'Rhe largest and strongeat companies throughout this country were the heaviost losera In eur (wo great fres, and, sboald the Firc Department be disbanded, they would have to cancel thelr policies and wlhikdraw, s they would bave no other recourse loft, They view ‘with slarin sny such comtingency, Not because they are eo extremuly interested, but because it would be the calamity that could befall this city, Howe: insuranca mendo uot think such A contlogency will arive, because \ha‘ belleve that our cillsens will uol allow such & thing to occur. tWoy, d oue prominent insursnce man, **we cau wade 1 mod 1o our knees: wo can do without schools fur the prescat; we can do without a great macy things, but without vur Fire Dopart. meut, never! Where would be the socurity of property? Where would the merchsuts’ credit stand? No, sir, 1don't beliove vur werchants or hasiness wen would allow such a calamity to bo. fall this great city. We bave s fne Fire Depart. mont. 1t {a that and our excellcot water suvply which bolds our fuaurance companies bote. Take thal v _and where ats we' o wmeoacing framo bulldipgs are stlil bere, bat we feel ol thery sccurlty for us fo the good bulldings fu the business por- tion, aud in the excelicat Fire Departments. It Wauls Lo bu kept atlia preseat efcieucy, and bet- vossible " But would not the insarance companies help 0 keep up tho Dopartmentt ™ **They pay their portion of taxes for its main- 4snance, and I don't think they would be willing te do auything moro than that.” They baven't gut the moaey Lo o i¢ with, We agonts, ss cltiscas, wauld daall we conld. tent buslness men now to | need them in our City Counel! Another well-known aent, who represents rome etrong Eastern companies, #afd that the whole thinz came down ta one point. and that wae tliat buninees men had to come to the rescite. irta shanld eotne ta the fro whether the cerijdcaten - t good and compe: han become one of us throngn, and we e mada ourcity as a prompt_as the bost man in it. pever Jhorrosred any moare money, o twa prices for work. ani \wan not afraid of the Supreme Conrt, Out upan this brazary of temporary loanat— Jiar to poat to raise money to keep or to buy the next incai of victasla Therals too much of it 1t lesued no city eortificat shinning trom our credit good for onr municipal maw. fn all great citics, Chicago, the prido of the West, mnat get hon- orably out of ita present cmbarrassment. as it well can do In the manner indicated, and then behave 1t munt thereafter, as ita prudent businesr men do, provide the means in hand before con- tracting to expend it. Tt is humliliating to the ride of one citizens and to our intereata to have the financial city, horn of stavld and disreputable manazement, Brnited in the prens, and [n the Halia of Congress, It muat be l(npnle,fl. ere iezal or fleanl, the whole thing. afier al), lay in the fact that people hnd falth In‘the integrity of our cilizens and our Incal gavernment, *+ Disband tho Fire Depactment!™ sald he. sle! Of courre, the companics {n such an emer, €y wonld cancel their policies and withdraw, They would have n otlier remedy. anles can do nnyihing to Tdan't think they ean or will, alrendy taxed enangh, and rat remunerative, James .\lcCoP sz \Whiteside, and the Hon. ‘Whether the com- #1p (hieago fs_another reat commercial are too low to be mbroglioa of our advancing onr taxes, oni ro we are for keeping ap the Dut. Iet me tell yoq, we are going to watch earetally what sort of ‘Aidermen you put n With the present feelins in the East, 1don't think Chicauo could got sny help from there and have a ecalawnz City Connell, other hanid, I think if ood men are elcctad thero will bo fond A loop-inle to let us nut, een in worse fixen than this, and [ come ant all right, and claewhere. THE CITY'S EXTREMITT—IEGISLATIVE RELIZF. To the Editor of The Tribune, Cuicaco, Feb. 13, ~The nancial stealt to which thecity {8 aabjected hy the recent Sapreme Conrt declirlon has snggested the question of legislative 10 he obtained by having 8 speclal Acamon by the Governor, in order to get the ma- chincey In motion for submitting to the people o constitntional amendment. Altuatiop in this cliy calle for soma reliet from #oma roarce, 1f possible, hut we want (o be caro- fal, lest in onr auxlefy to escape we *'ily ts those we Know not of . Article XIV, of the Constitution provides two methads of amending that docament—one by call- inxt n Constitntional Convention, the other by sub- mitting legislative amendmenis to the people. This reconl clanse conclnds ss follaws: Bat the General Asembly ehall have a0 o mure thsn 0w arflic or t the same srtls in the soring. It is our system which has been wrong, and ant eity Is no worse off to-day than she was before, the declalon of the Suprema Conrt to the contrary notwithetanding, ** A nnmber of other azenis eninciated the eama views, anid stated toat in case the Fire Department war dirhanded and the enzine-lunses closed, their companies would anrely withdraw, as there would be no other alternative left them, THE CITY TREASSREI'S NOND. Yerterday nfternoon a TRtncsy reparter called npon several of the bondsinan of Cily Troaeirer Larrabee and propounded to them the following voluminous query: In view of the " fact that the Rapreme Conrt has pronounced certain city certificates Niegal and Yoid, and Mayor Herth hias declared that they shal} be pald. §a there a probabiliry tnat Clty Treasnrer Larrabea will ha aned andjofherwise prosecuted if hn should pay thess certificates on the strength of warrants franed therefor by the Comptroller; and ‘wonld not hits bond«men al«o be llable? To neveral of the bondrnen thia question had not ropzested iteelf, and conscanent] it no thought, flowever, they hy They felt satisled that Lefore dolng anything concerning these city cers tificvtes hie would take Iecal advice, and they were content 1o abido by the resuit, an fhey were confi- dent he wanld not do anything to {mperil his own or liin bundsmen's Intereste, Oue of the bundemen eaid that there was only one thiny foe Mr, Larrabeeto do, and that wae payment on all certificates until com- pelled to pay them by a wandamus, rotect himeclf and hls bondsmen, snd, in view of the present ccmplication, such action on his part conld not add any sdditional embar- rassment (o tire city Griancee. THE CITIZENS' ASSOCIATION, The grave wituation in which tne city now finds ftaelf In canecquence of the decleion of the st~ reme Court pronouncing iegal and vold, would, ft was sipnosed by a Tisn- UXE reparter, have acitated to the core the heart of tho Citlzens' Ansociation, If a voluntary nssu- to be possereed of *uch an presston, hie called Prestdent, and de- The gravity of oar prosent flle propuar amendment, Constitution at the e cle oftencr than unce 1 four yes Obslensly this waa Intended toprevent morethen one proporition being made hefore the people at any one time, —posibiy In order to prevent con- fusion s« well as to prevent frequent attempts o amend the Constitution. which, at the tine of Ita Adoption, was rezarded as thy Most porfect of apy ever presented to the peope, Early fn the last session of the General Assom- bly, the venerable Senator from Plke, the fon. W.'R, Archer, introduced a joint reaulution in the Senate submitting o conatitntional amendment, enabling ownera of swamp lands to levy a tax ton tho lande to be benefited) to pav forthe constrnc- tion of drains, ditches, and embankments, jast seesion, It scems, arc never o be pablished, hut my recollection i=, that Arche er'n traoluticn passed botn Huuaes, pending—or will bo—befare the prop! le at tho eloc- Now comes the ucstion, Can only ane smend- ment he suhnntt At onc time? and would a sec- ond_nmendment, submitted by o called ression, crowd the uther to the wail? Further, {8 it not the ob¥lnun intention af the Constitution that these amendments sbould only be aubimitted by rewntar sesvluns, lenving the cxtza or svecial ressions 10 emergencles similar to the Chicago dre and danger fromn Invasion, resent Inconvenlence, —the resalt of former mis- akes,—in it reaily o desirahle boon for the corpo- ration to ba oble io run in debt? w.oW TRE LICENSE FERS. The Hon, Monroe Heath, Mayor of Chicago: have constituted myeelf a committee of ono to sugwest to your Henor a plan ta relleve the goodly City of Chicago from her great financial embar- faavment growing out of the late Supreme Court declelon upon taxation, and at the enme time im- prove the condition of the commuuity mentally, morally, physieally, and soctally, i t #p2nd bny unnecesaary timo In nz up of the serioun suilerin reat numbers of persons unless same immediate #teps arc taken to raire foni great needs of deserving but destitafe persane. 1 belleve there sre about 2,800 clty, and iy sugvest] pareed by the wrof licenee tnx of ey quarterly in advance. tinued In the business, give the nice little income cf 3840,000 per annum; but euppose this shonld De the ‘means of reduclng the number to say 1,800, then there would be the nico litle Bgure of $540,000 per annum to put Uread in the month and conl in the scuttlo of all tneir certificaten ciation can Le sald Laborinz ander this | upon Mr, Murry Nelson, manded to know what they were going to du abuut it, HMr. Nelnon did not know aa the Nono of the mem ken to hini on the to, city anthorltles had not solicited any ",.\.\'lxen Wil the Association hold Its nexi were going to 4 of the Asno. **\Week after noxt. " **Is the question Hable to come up then?" **1 hardly think it will, for the reasun that §t hnr not been talked of amonz the members, ae far as I know, uni the city authurltiea have sald noth- inz2 to us abont It." **1 presumo that yon will lake som action on it 88 aton ar the city disbands it4 police, discharres ita fire-brigade, and extinguishes the gas-lampey AMr. Ambler, the Secretary of the Aw _bresent at tho interview—** What's the nee of talking about sclling your horse when thero prellminary shows hat will occnr of 10 mect the present saloons in thin ', that an ordinance be t authorities eatabliching & Mr. Nelson—Until such events as yor lave atated come to puws, or until the city authoritles requeat onr advice, It e not lkely that the Aesoclstion will take any action on the sltuation, SUGGLS1TIONS, TRE WAY TO DO IT, Tn the Fditor of The Tribune, L.—When an improvident man 0 neighboning many now in & state af Now, Idon't claim thin as any wire discovery or plan of my nwn, but it s the blan now In perfect working arder in the thrifty, encrzetie littie cit of Galesburg in thin State, and Is found to_worl Iike o charm in ralaing 8 revenue und improving the moral condition of the place. £600 for each license, ind require bonda ( to pay all damages eatiscd uthers contrary 1o law. tou, on Sundays, and at a “Those who take out llcensea will always act nd de- tectivea to prevent sellinz Ly oth 1t farnishics a re Cnicaao, Fob, gets into tronble It {s nenal for * wisorcres to say, ** I told you s up my ven in respect to tho present financial mud- dloof tha city for a lke purpose, aud also to show tho way out of it, Bince the constitutional prohidition that orations shall not rmn into debt um of their asscesed volontion, ‘ommissioners, Aldermen. Mayors, Comptrolicre, County and Clty Attorneys, have nd begulling their un- derstanding Lo devise ways and means for evadin Instead of excculing, thai wholesome constitution ) reatriction. In their eagerneas to spend money which they do nut posscss, they have cnme to re- goed cverything as sottling the. question o which the Corporation Counsel shall #ive the weight of bls purchased and foroatalled o buen eany, however, all along, hends (o see what atich,conduct was leading to, and what the tesult wonld be when some valiant tax- fighter should ask the Bupreme Coort to prick i budble, That constitutional prohibition ** mes: business™ and Juut what it cessfully ovaded, wense hnva alwayn ki 1iut the trouble h snother direction, large bonded debt compare s taxable property, an payahle quarterly in ad- dd ones, not of steaw) eelting to minors or ‘Tho saloons &ro all closed, proper hour at night. ponsible class of ssloon- keepers, who will o far more carsfui how and 10 whom they sell. aw, elr, I8 not this subject worth the carefal ourself and’tho honurable Cit Fathers? Is tliere not a chance here to replents! the Treasnry and improve the morals of the city? By weiting {o tho llonorable Mayor of Guleshurg you will be sble to get data nnd facts showing the practical working of ibis plan, saloouxcepers themeelves are woil pleased with it, a8 1t {0 & great extent removes and does away witn the worsl cines of viclous and frresponsible keep- ers. whore most of the worat characiers congre- e, Fileaso think thin matter over, get facts and dat, discusa the problem whth good, reliable, practical good muy pot come outof it It 1s said that tho ur cool and honest 1t cannot be wne- lid men, and neo If Very reapectfally, SUALL THE BC/IOOLS B GIVEN UP] To the Edior of The Tribune, Cnicaco, Feb, 13, —Will the parents of the han- dreds of children In this city allow t? OF all the its of bard times, the turning of onr boys {nto the atreets, where they will advance dly in vice and }dleness, iaone of the saddest o6 in Chicage's fistory, bat one of tne most precluuw of public Ignorance and taleness are the hizh. 1n ihe Criminal Coun, nown it and **old you s 8 como from dlshoneaty In of Chicago has not & with (e real valuo of ourtaxes, contrasted with those of otaer cities, are Hzht instead of heavy. There Is on sound reason why wo should not Iy all the money that a prudent Couns have power to borraw In The burden would be mueh Hanter than it now is on vur peonle If the Awseswment law couid bo honestly axecuted. the custom of vur Assessors, for the purposs of cheating the reat of the State out of an {neis caut anioant, 10 place & onc-fourth or one-f valuation on real catate, to willfnl) fully threo-fourths of the pereonal to value tho remainder at not above onc-tenth what There nover hus been nn asseesment inthia city entitied tu the feust consideration for honesty, cquality, or falrnes. or in compllance with tho rst urinciples of the law., 'The weakness 1t lias, howerer, heen Soboollon e nots wnys 10 the _penitontiary, last month, 1saw o hoy sentenced ta tho Penlten- tiary for tueft, ‘Two year: achaol for the strect. snd son will uext go to Join the 1,000 stronz now in Jolet? 11 the city cannot support the schuols, the parenta and uther friends of educatiun oucht 1o riso at once, and ear, **We will hotses are flied, aaloone and cigar-stores flourish, aud rich ajlks are trafled over the mod, vet wo wiil slt quistly, and talk of catting off from our sony aud daughters the discipiine and instruction nluct their whole lives. d tubacco, and the motliers eive up practico houschold, econainy fur he woney so saved be glven fur omit 1o assoes that boy left the do it.” The ope; planded by onr wealthi Let tho fathers been g d highest-toned c) ment made as the la rue cAsh valuo at Al s directs, according to tho salo of 'the property In this city, would reael liew dressce, and one year, and let 1ho sducation of their children, 1t I folly to talk of pon real est; Tpon personal properiy.. curting down ** and ** ent- i1 achool expenses, Thore 1% no clase stiug and resvens thu Leachers of this city, and more faithful and ecticlent band of worke would be liard to find, teachers’ well-earned snlaries and we shall end by driving our bewt teachers out of the aty, y zota poor profit all over the world, matier be seitied in & bettor way, of Education put the question” before the people, hown, for the childzen'a best inturest, the guod name of Chicago, say emphatically, ools continue, through this y=3r, through every ycar. THE CITY'S WAY OUT. To tha Editor of The Tribuns, Cuticano, Feb. 13, —Though the city credit le not avergood, nor its finaocial matters exaclly what thoy should be, yet, to wake both better, would not the ale of the Lake-Front halp along a little, ir not o good dealy If the eit more un ita Tax Fund, could sufiiclent to carry it over eighteon months by giving security on the W oiber security? “The Water-Works aro 000, and, aa the city only itever ui to 4 1 which we liave for Ubon personal pi Aggregate assesament. Now, if the Ascesors compel personal-properts hol which caw casily be standard of our tho cily could dane, not enly would the mment be so fncreascd {ssuc bonds 10 retire her and further lnw‘l Lut the Board a8 uecewsily should 813,000 5 PunLic Barery, would authorize a dubl of $25, focheat ou our assessments, wo have becomo crlppled In our abllity to carry va'the Cily _Again, any honcet mai could have ut tho dilenima, bad as it is, might be worse, ractical way out of it: Jietain from or slx manths, €aunot borrow any # of our certificates ba: n r mensure, " jostified vy that tax, butit lv o ** the exigency of the situstion, and will L) A now asscssmont {e to be made of May and the ment {8 honest, said 10 ho worth ¥ de (3 cavh bottom, or act 1t forward of or even with Its incoming taxcs, this security somchow, could it not, snd not violate tho constitutional rustziction? ‘Flie payment of mouey thus borrowed should be mado on 4 scale of so miich & year i1l it ald Dou't “let tho avo the property, re: us required b thoroughly as Uncle loran fncome tax. 1 ol bo thoreby produced basie fur & jauch larger issuc of Lo necessary (o pay a1l floatl 8 rovenus in advancy h the purpose, i ulu-ufl“, '.m: surely capltslists can bove sum on so valuable 1f the Lake-Frout d borrow that much the Water.W orl old, then the city will n Could not the Uity Government continuson, F arranie 10 pa; an d provide a yea assesement will be cowpleted b burrow ihe nucesssry fuuds, pay the don't lacur any more, Next, msuaie tho city affairs as economically as ossible, but levy a tax for 187H from a thini (o a alf greater than the contemplatod expenditure. ime annually until thero Is money enaugh in the ‘Treasury In advance of ihe next tax 10 meet all proper demsnds. honest, and people will 1 porcenton the lawful valuatlon. doubtful expcriments -to evade tho law or to ‘whip the devil around thy post," and thereby avo an opening for tax-ghtors. eal. I8 L not reputable, 111t coutd only borro one-half of the ealsrics and wages dus ployes, the balanco to s fhe city struck & caal I, ! Onlers or doe- small _interest might Le given for Would not such blg Better than cutting down? e o—— JUDICIAL ELECTION. Boecial Dispaich 10 Th Chicago Tridune, Dixon, Ik, Feb, 13,~The judiclal election which occurs next Saturday to gl the vacaucy occasionod by the desth of Judge Heaton lg ex- more. than the usual futercst fncident to thoss ol & purely About thres weeks since si ticlans i White- & political Conventlon to vuminata & candidate for Judge, but this siznal- ly fulled. Then an effort woa wmadu b amnc parties to call a pauple’'s Convention. i also fell nn-uuch‘. and Keep the annual 1t will not succeed. d the honor of being elected **Alderman of my native city " in sn It owed & yood deal wore woney, bouded speciul election: much worse condition ra- Judieisl charact elfort waa made by sume side County to call and doating.and was in latively than Chicago ls ever likely to bo. ordery and urdura fesued Lo pay ils scnoolmuams were aelilpe 8t 63 to 756 ceuls ou the dollar. Thuugh young and green, | belicved myself to be and thougut tho city ougut to be, owned bat_little and I owed nothins. eelf, **\Why should this city, wiih ite abundsuce property, uut bo aa b vide means to meet 1te wauts tu advauce, as I, poor duvil, bave siways donet” Tho query wse sugeative, and I deterinined to put its incvitablo apawer 1ato practical oporation. carried through o wessuro that the aonusl taxes hreo years should be one-third greater than aid that thereafter a that—siould bo sccus ed i tho Treasury all the time, possiblo de- fclencies belug aunusll waa this measure suceeeded in fuducing sonse of the lzations kuown s the Red-Ri ete., tosend delevates to a Temperance Con- vention, held st Freeport vesterday, which put 1o nomination the Ion. James Carroll, to ruu in oppusition to Jud Eustace, who bad sunwunced bl date In responss to the solicitations of the Jead- cmbers of the Br of the eotire dlstrict. not probablo that Mr, Bhaw wiil accept, be hss been, aud fs uow, su active supporter of Judey Eustace for the samo poaitlon, the issue upon which ho was. nowinated aa faise vbe, Judge Eustace belog peifoctly accont- he Tewmperauce mon of lis own county ho vagbt 1o bu pood judizes of his Wheu ho occupled | yreparod su taxes—or practicall ban city orders ross to 93 cents on the dollar, and wishin slx uionths weza patd oo dew mx.l bave Luen ever alnce. from the fact that heru with succ that did vot exy u the swaller city, our ux-flulnllur W our-howlers, and vur croakent ut wo sascssed Dur prups Lt eriy st ita value. OuF Lazes cautiol and tu tie slleaced the ene- Dy and tired i 'out. ‘Tuspaying bss bocouo this particular. this position, many years ago, his record was an impartial and able one. Anectal Dienatch ta Tra Cheagn Tribun Stenuiso, I, Feb. 13.—The Hon. James Bhaw, who was nominated at Freeport yester- day for Circuit Judgs fn this Clrcuit, declines the nomination, leaving the fleld to the for V. Eustace, of Lee. AMUSEMENTS, THE OPERA. Ono of the 1argest sudiences ever assembled In Hooley's Theatre ** aralated " last evenlng at ona of the worat performances ever witnessed upon onz Iyric stage, The opers apparently was *‘Don GlovannL." Tt represented ono of the poles of badness in this troupe, the othor being **The Bo- hemian Girl," As a rule, howerer, ono can wit- ness the slaughter of Balfe's music with some de- gree of patlence, bot Mozart might have been [ Of course thero wers spots hero and there that wero enjoyable, but tho ensemble was nofficlently wretched to convince the management thas ** Don Giovanal onght to ba let reverely nlone hereafter, Not one, two, oreven three prima donne, however good they may he, can carry this apera alone, JDon Jiedro wan the moat fortanate character in the rep. reeentation, Being killed off In the first scene, ho did not iy to seo the Robsequent manpling of most of the other characters. One person was well up in his lines and general’ business, ways wigiiant, sonorous, emphatic, and de- ,—the prompter,—and a8 he read quite ntdly as most of ‘the people ang, the resnlt was that he prodnced tho romewhat novel effect of makinz the ensembles appear out of tone, which Wan an entirely gratultons effort on his part, We except some nceaslonnily fine vocal effacts by Miss Kellogg, the best being het singing of tho ** Or oaf che I'onore™ and the long second actaria; Maris ‘Roze's admirable make-np of a Spanfsh donns, her careful acting. and her expressive mnging of the fong and exacting ‘*Mi Tesdi Bs snd Cary's cognetry and mnalvets in the rola of Zerlina, as well &8 her ringing of hee twa principal numbers, the * Daitl, batt1* and **Yedrai carin, '* we have Ieft for contempla- tion & drflr{ waste of medioerity and conspicuons unfitness. e, Verds, belng a comparative novice on tlie atage, shoutd not attempt euch tle an Don Juan without firet acquiring some knowledzs of the character, color, and phrasing of Mozart's muslc, If he does attempt (t, he ahould at least ve us & meke.up that convers syme snggestion of the gorgeoas an captle vating Jhon, instesd of l‘pntlvlnl In aoparel indicating ha might he the Captain of a privateer. Sarely such & J/on as this would never have ef. (ected the canqueetn racarded in Leporeilo’s high- iy-llluminated catalozge. *‘Like master, fils man." Mr, Gottachalk acemed to have no cancep- ton whatever of the character he persanated, and, waile he had rome {iean of his muaic, his voica falled to give them expreseion. Of course, com- warisona are Invidions, but In such A pro. nounced character as this, recollectlons will come of Carl Formes and Susini in thelr prime, when they made the old Opera-1lousa ring again with the npplsuse over their inimitable humot and sonorous music, Jow Offariv 18 & melancholr ebaracter, In this respect Mr. Karl filled it, but he should not arsume rofes of this kind for which he Is unfit- ted both In ealibre. timbre, and power of volce, Ang, last of all, comes Jasetto without s note in his voice, and a Commendalore who appat- ently had 'been ‘& Whost for 8 thousand years, Were |t not that we have become some- what accustoned to sec Mozart's immortal wotk manzled, we should complain at last night's per- formance, but of iate yesrs tho mere anoounce- mentof **Don (ilovanaf” has been theaccepted slg- nalof slanghter. To-night, **Alds," with Marfs Hozao [n the titlo role. TNHE APOLLO CLUB. The Apollo Club gives its mecond concert this evening at McCormick's Hall. Aside from tho Club numbera the concert will be an Interesting one, for the reasan that it will be the occaslon of the debut of that excellent vocalist, Miss Lenri- ctiu Beebe, —— T;I"HE S;I'EfPIN{G]STONE T'O HEALTH, o acquinition of vital energy Is the stepping. $t0n6 60 health, - When the e3etem 14cks” siialing: the varfous vrgans flag ‘in “their daty, becomo chironicslly Irregular, and discase 18 eventaally in- stitated. “To prevent this unhanpy state of things, Lho debilitated syrtem shonld be built up by tha uee of that Inimitable tonie, lHoetetter's Stomach Bltters, which Invizarates the digestive orzans. and Insures the thorough conversion of food into blood of s nourishing l’gllflly‘ from whence every mns- cle, nerve, and fibre acquire unwonted supplics of vigor, and the whole rystem experiences the bene- ficial efflect. Abpetite returne, the syatem s re- freshed by healthful slumber, the nerves grow strong and calm, the despondency begolten of chronle Indicestlon and an uocortain slate of health disapneats, and (hat ealiow apocarance of the akin ru'aflnr 10 habftual invalkls, and persons dedcient In vital energy, ia roplaced by a more be~ coming Ltuge. ———— BUSINESS NOTICES. Use ** Mrs. Winslow’s Koothing Syrnp" for chil ;en whilo teething. IL cnres c. and MEDICAL. & TERRIBLE & . DISEASE, : NUMBERING ITS VICTIMS BY MILLIONS, Tho magnitudo of tho sufforing, tho blight, the misory causod by Ca. tarrh, places tho question of tho remody for its cure and oxtermina- tion sacond only to that for Con- sumption; for likke tho latter it minos and burrows in the system until it breoaks down every wvital foroe opposed to its fearful ravagos. Tesder, liave you risen from your bed after s sbort sleap to find yourself nearly sufocated with Catarehal matter in your nose. head, snd thruat? Ifave you no- ticed what a depreastng influence [t exercises 0o the mind, bluntlag its facultics, bealdes enervating the body ss well? [low diticult to rid & ead of thls foul matter All can testity who are aficted with Ci tarrh, How dimicult 1o prutect the tem ageinat fta further progress toward the lunge and brouchlal tubes, sll physicisns can testify. It s & terrible ul ease, snd cries out for rellef. To be freed from the danger of suffocstion whlle iying down; 1o brestha freely, sleep soundly and undisturhed: to know that no polsonous, putrid matier deflcs the breath and under. mines tha systemi to know that the body doesnot, through Ite velns and arteries. carry the polson that is sure Lo destroy, s Indeed a blessing, To purchasso im- munfiy from such & fate should be the abject of ail sMicted. Dut those who have tried many reme- dles and physicians despaly of rellef or curs. They be- catoe Increduluus. WIth such the long srray of testl- * montals from our best cltizens. physicians and druggisu In tavor of Ranford's Hadical Cure must consince them that It posscsses great merit. while the new and orfgtoal mothod uf its preparation when studied with the dls- ‘ease satlafies the mind of any ressonable persan s method of curs Is tho true ons, RELIEFANDCURE Dr. Georgo Beard says: No singlo disease has entalied more sadering or bas- tened thio breskini up of the constitution than catarrh. The scnse of stcll, of taste, of sight, of hcarink, the buman volce, the mind, ane or more aud sometimeaall yleld toits destructive Induence. The polsan it dis- irfbutes throughuut the system sitecks overy vital farce, and breaks up the most rubust of constitutions, Ignored becsuse but littis understoud by moat physl- 1ans; Impotently sssalled b 8 and charls T A E’i{l:ui:ll l’flll"l‘lflll ufim- ferrible discase by remiedics ; tel the reach of all, parsd Into hawis at once coti nlllln; (:M‘:Inflflflll" y ‘I'ie new and Litherto untried uetnud sdopted by Dr. Baufurd 10 the preparstion of [yt [ fall bact ¢ atrikes ai t ho scidified blood, whils It hesls tha ulcel ety dlrect tpileaion o i el ptages” i iy u:nu;- fat exliaustod, ust 1o (bo great wJOrF Of casca eTCCLACUN o vy Nobscott Block, Bouth Framingliany, Oct. 1, 1674, NFORD'S RADICAL CURE (s & Local snd Cons A DAY SR i Stk ety upon the oasal cavities. It ls taken |oteraally, thus Rbucrallzlug sd purifying the acidiged Llood. ‘A bow and luhd!hul remrdy, YD{MIfiHm Korw of the dis- ase. “Price, with Imvraved fbaler sad Treatlse, $1. Sold ny ail drugaiass througbout thie United states and Cansdas, and Ly WEEKH & POTTEIL, Wholcsale Drug- latsy Doston. Slass. GOLLINY VOLTAIC PLASTER Performs Wonderful OURES. ‘Weak aad Paluful Backs, Rbeumatlu Palos, Neuralgic Paloss Fewsle Complaluts, Suddoa Nhurp Pulus, Reolloved ms by Maxl PRICE, 36 OENTS. Bold by all Wholesalo and Retall Drusgists throughout the Unlied Simies aud Cavadas, mud by WEEKS & POTTER, Fropristersy Boatou, Muss.