Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1904 — GOIVES THE TAX-PAYERS A PARTING KICK. [ARTICLE]

GOIVES THE TAX-PAYERS A PARTING KICK.

AThe old city council perpetrated one more outrage on the people of Rensselaer at a special meeting held Wednesday night, by increasing the salaries of all the employees at the city water and light plant. Supt. Chamberlain’s salary was increased from SBS to SIOO per month and the other employees from $55 to S6O per month. This was done in the face of the fact that thousands of dollars in protested city orders are outstanding and not paid for want of funds, and the further fact that a great many laboring men and mechanics in the city will have to go on short rations for the next year or more because of the stop put to building operations, and that the employees wem all liberally and well paid before?^ This action was no dotioV taken to further embarrass the incoming council, but it is a matter the latter should not hesitate to grapple with, and reduce these salaries to the former figures at least, at their first meeting. Gentlemen, the eyes of the tax-payers of Rensselaer are on you, and it is hoped you will not be found wanting in this first test of the stuff you are made of.