Labor Takes a Scalpel to Tacoma's Budget — and Calls Out the Boodlers

TACOMA, Dec. 26. — [Special.] — The municipal financial question came up again this afternoon before the city council committee on finance.

Chairman Gore, of the finance committee, submitted the following plan of reduction:

"First — Reduction in police department. Second — Reduction in fire department. Third — No reduction in wages anywhere. Fourth — Appointment of an attorney to revise the city charter. Fifth — Abolish the office of mayor's clerk. Sixth — Reduction in street department. Seventh — Reduction in sewer department. Eighth — Reduction in treasurer's office. Ninth — Calling attention to the difference of wages of clerks in controller's and treasurer's offices. Four deputies in the controller's office and treasurer's department are paid $1 per day. Tenth — Reduction in prices paid for city printing. Eleventh — Reduction in health office force. Twelfth — Reduction in park force."

The Trades Council was represented by M. P. Rogers, George McMurphy, J. F. Harbottle, C. H. Dow and E. H. Latterly. They favored a cut in the salaries of the heads of departments who now draw large salaries. They also favor the naming of depositories for city funds. This the council has not done, and taxpayers do not know where the city's money is.

Much has been said about the proposition of the Chamber of Commerce committee to reduce the salary of the one-legged Dictator man from — to $30 per month. The Trades Council committee recommended that his salary be increased to $60. Engineers in the light and water department, they recommend, be paid 30 cents an hour, instead of 25 cents. The Trades Council ask that salaries be fixed as follows: Mayor, $2,000 per year; city attorney, $2,400; city controller, $2,000; city treasurer, $2,000; city physician, $1,200; building inspector, $1,500; members of the board of public works, $1,800; city engineer, $2,000; street superintendent, $1,200; city clerk, $1,500; members city council, $300 ($500 at present).

The trades council shook up boodlers. Referring to opposing unnecessary workmen in the city departments, it said: "We desire to say that if the Chamber of Commerce had never asked for and encouraged the unlawful appropriation of money, not only would the city treasury be some thousands of dollars better off, but the moral force and influence of the Chamber of Commerce might have been such that there would have been no need for a committee to consider this subject."

Regarding the printing steal: "In view of the recent editorial expressions of the official paper (the Ledger) in favor of strict economy and of the city paying no more for services than private parties, we feel sure the Ledger will at once consent to reduce its rates from 50 and 30 cents to 30 and 20 cents per inch, especially as other parties have signified their willingness to do the printing for that sum. We think a saving of some thousands of dollars per year can be made in this one item alone without affecting unfavorably the wages of any worker in the city."

The Trades Council, in anticipation of an attempt to reduce the salaries of laborers from $1.50 to $1.25, suggest that the basis of wages be a day.