That $500 Appropriation

Editor Courikk- Will the Coürier or our city tttoniey, pleaae inform ou citizens in wliat part of oiir charter tli city coiiiicil jrct the authority to vote tax oí $500 upon the city for the enter talnmcnt of a scientlfic convention, t meet here next August? To maiiy thi appe.irs to be an anlawful act, and shoult DOt only deserve tlie censure but a de Cidra p.otc-st by a ta.-p;iying public. I isall right to entertain thig convention but let it be done by private contribu tions. It does seem cruel to vote sucl) a tax upon liundreils of poor tax-payers who re actu.tlly suflcring for tlie necea sanes of lifcwhn are wlllinff towoik bu can tind notliinp to do, ATaxpater. The Couriek will not undertake to an fwer the abore, luit muy explaiu the m ilter io th-it il will be satisfactoiy. It a moment of innocent and chilri-like simplicity the coininon council of 1884 temí erd lo tlie Ameiican Association for the Advuncement t Sdence an invitation to bold its next innuul meeting In this city, which was Kcepted. In that act the oom moa council of "84 pat the foot of the eoiuieil of '85 Into it, is the expression is. Hurtos acei'i;ed the invitation the asso('ilion musthe pio erly enteitained, tlmt Ann Ai bor mav niuke upon the minds of hei di.-tinguished guests a favorable iinprenton to take to their homes, t-cutteied all OTer the American continent - the noithern half of it, at. least. In order to do this uioney mu-t be obtained, for it costs to enteitain pcople, and the coiinci], by the action of its predeces sor, is in honor bound lo carry out In good faith the invitation accepted by the as.-uiiüiion in good faith. Tliere is nother polnt that is worthy of consideration. The$.'00 appropriated comes frorn the contingent Itind, which is not r.iised by a t:ix upon the people, hut comes fiom the Kloon tnx. Had the $500 so appropriated been a direct tax upon ttie people, it is doubtful if any membcr of tlie council would have cast a vote therrfur. Bnt as it is. our triend above, nor any othcr tax-payer, will not be c.illed upon for one ct-nt more taxes than he would had not the $500 been given. The only effect, probably, will be to cause the council to shut off on other expenditures which might not be of any more, it' indeed as much benellt to the city iis will this. W hile the precedent is a daneerous and bnd one, iu this huUuiM it ia excuïuble.