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Show MAYOR'S PLEA FOR THE CITY. Mayor Binnsford put the question of public improvements squarely before the public in his message of Monday night, and printed by us in full yesterday morning, lie showed plainly that if the public improvements arc to go on, there must, cither be a bond . issue or a higher rale of tax levy. But the idea of .stopping the public improvements is not to bo considered nt all. The city is growing, not only within the metropolitan metropoli-tan distiicl proper, but in tho ruburbs also, from Ihc west, where the railroad improvements arc so magnificently proceeding, pro-ceeding, to the residence districts in the east and the southeast. These increases in population crcato cxtondod demands I in water and sewer service, demands thai must be met if we would have the city grow as it must, and as it. is ready to grow, if we do not deny tho new residences, bolh within and closo by the borders, the municipal benotits lo which they are entitled, and which have been accorded to others. To have tho city grow, therefore, wo must provide the ncccssarj' moans of growth. It is by uo means necessary, nor is it wise, however, to ninko tho old residents pay tho cost of this new service. Nor is that the way in which cities conduct such matters. It is right for tho new to help pay for tho old. No city ever expects to pay for permanent improvements out of current revenue. Tins city has undertaken to do this altogether al-together too much. But it is not fair to tho present generation nor to tho old tax roll. The newer population and tho great values newly created or stimulated stimu-lated by these improvements should do their share ns tho years go by in bearing bear-ing tho burden of paying for that which has benefited them so much. The Mayor points out definitely and clearly what it is proposed to do in case the taxpayers voto the proponed bonds. In every cape the work is necessary, nec-essary, and in every case to deny the funds necessary to do it would be to obstruct tho growth and progress of the city, livery one wants tho city lo grow and become greater and greater every year. The past two years have seen very largo additions to the city's population; popu-lation; and we are convinced that the Mayor speaks nothing but tho plain, business truth when he refers to tho prospective marked increase in our population. pop-ulation. His plea that "in ordt-r to meet the growing conditions we should continue lo improve our eit-,- nnd in such a wa- as to demand the attention of outside capital, and be an incentive to bring, strangers within our gates," is one fhe force of which every well-wisher well-wisher of Salt Lake must freely and gladly admit. . .Wo1 commend the Mayor's communication communi-cation first of all to tho favorable action ac-tion of the Council, and then to the taxpayers tax-payers of this city. There cannot bo the least question of the importancoof ' the proposition upon the welfare and tho future growth of Salt Lake. And as we do not believe that any great number of tho taxpayers are indifTcient to that welfare, or have any desire other than to foster that growth, there can be no fair reason urged, in opposition opposi-tion to this plea that Mayor Bransford makes for Salt Lake and her right to grow and fulfill her municipal duty to all her inhabitants, both those already here and those about to come. |