The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-04-18
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
AMI TE 1000

Apr Is, 1889.
Council met in regular session with
Mayor Griffith in the chair. Council
men present: Clarke. Drake, Sexton,
Whitehill, Hoffer, Davis. Phillips and
MellInger.
Minutes of meeting held April Sth
read and approved.
Mayor Griffith presented the follow
ing communication:
GENTLEMAN OF THE CITY COUN-
CIL-In assuming the responsible
duties that deYOlve upon the mayor of
this enterprising city, l am not unmind-
full of the lack of experience in the
work before me. Some of you, like my
self, ! assume have not as yet been
initiated into the intricacies of the re
quirements for the government of the
city. A part of the membership, how
ever, of your honorable body has had
considerable experience in this kind of
service, and trust that those of us
| who are lacking in experience will be
able to profit by their friendly advice,
SO that we may be able to avoid max
ing mistakes. In the formation of the
standing committees l have endeav-
ored to equally distribute the work we
have before US, and give to each one of
| you something to do. Some of you
may not be pleased with the place as
signed you, but / trust that you will
give me credit for a desire upon my
part to be fair and impartial in this
matter; and that you will at once pro-
coed to acquaint yourselves with the
various duties enjOined upon you by
ordinances now in force.
e The present high rate of taxation
is sufficiently burdensome. 1t is there
fore incumbent upon the legislative
as well as the executive department
of this city government to exercise
becoming vigilance to avoid careless
and eXtravagant expenditures OF every
sort. A careful business economy
should characterize all our, actions;
personal consideration should be put
out of sight; individual interest should
be ignored, and the welfare of the city
alone considered. We are the servants
of the people and it is expected that
we will reflect their will; the ac-
ceptance of the position that we
occupy IS promise on our part of ouI
honest purpose to promote good gov
eminent. No Supernumerary officers
should be appointed, but the working
force in every department should be
no more than the interest of the city
may demand. Officers are not APP
pointed for ornamental purposes, but
for work; their selection should not be
| LIduc N1On d pun pOoO u uldhlIS places
for needy applicants, but in the belief
of their fitness for the positions desig-
mated they will be required to do duty
as efficiently when the eye of the APP
pointing power is turned away as wheI
it is TUNED towards them.
All laws are expected to be conserv,
atively, but faithfully and impartially
!, enforced, and any officer who may
prove inefficient in this regard from
| frin IN inf inf IA
, particular law, or from fear of Civ
ing offenSe, or from favOritism, Of
D from incapacity. will be required tt
give place to another who is in pos
session of both the ability and inclina
D ton to meet in full this requirement
n Every officer must feel that there il
something for him to do, and that he
8 is expected to faithfully perform every
n duty.
am unable. at this time, for lacl
0 of sufficient information, to submit bu
q q few measures for your consideration
o but such measures as l think wise t.
0 consider will be presented from time t,
n time as occasion requires.
I desire, however, at this time to cal
o your attention to the current eZ
8 penses of the city government, whicl
n seem to me to be unnecessarily large
D look upon this question applied
% city affairs as 1 would In the man
: agement of my own private business
We have been passing through lon
season of depression in business an
the prudent merchant has long sine
cut down his expenses in every wa
possible, either by reduction in til
number of his employees or in the sals
rieS paid to them. l can see no reaso
why this rule will not apply to city a,
+. fairs as well.
The salaries paid the employees in til
4 various departments were fixed at
:. time when greater prosperity prevaile
u than we are enjoying at the preseI
d time, and in my opinion will admit {
n revision. I respectfully recommend I
the council to carefully consider tn
question, TO the end that current eX
u penSes may be reduced. if it can
g done without detriment to the publ
l. service,
Our city has so much to be proud {
in the way of improvements that cor
siderable time would be required I
: mention them in detail; in the way
II churches, colleges, and school house
"a there are few cities in the state tn;
= make as good a showing. The con
I" mercial standing and thrift of our cit
Zens is par excellent before the con
5. mercial world. When we consider thi
l. this city has thus fan been built almo.
entirely from the support of the coul
try surrounding II, ana that we HAY
i'd been benefited but little either in I'll
g, increase to our population or wealt
te from manufacturing enterprises, whiC
l trust will in due time center here, s
10 should feel thankful that our pToperi
interests are so well located. The d
al mand for merchandise is generally il
ereasing in the surrounding countr
and we should not hesitate TO pin Oh
IL faith upon the future growth of OF
IN city.
But while we have indeed aecon
nj plished much without developing, e
cept to limited degree, the easily CT
tivated lines OF manufacturing ente
N prises, there are many kinds of man
IS featuring interests that should be
. successful operation here.
We especially need those industri
O0 that depend most largely upon {
a. hand of labor, and whatever this CT
can do to encourage these interests
70 our midst should be done cheerful
~ The good influence of the city Cover
10 ment can. in q measure, be safely {
tended toencourage any enterprise til
e will go towards furnishing employing
and increasing our taxable wealth.
10 am in favor of Offering helping ha
"a to all manufactures organized upon
% sound basis, to the possible extent
% the power vested in cur hands, there
y assisting in q legitimate manner to
50 crease cur resources.
IS Our present system of WaterwoTks
* absolutely first class and something Il
50 we may well feel proud of, although
g has cost large sum of money. mn
. = greater. apprehend. than orlg1na