The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-03-24
THE CITY GOVERNMENT QUESTION

The HERALD is emphaticslly OPP
kosed to the Andrews bill and is in
favor of the present form OF city
government, with =. the proposed
amendments.
The Andrews bill proposes prac-
teal return to the Old system Of mu-
n,clpal management. That system,
which had been in operation for
many vars, was discontinued about
sixteen months ago. We, therefore
have fresh recollection Of what
it was.
The facts aud figures which it, pre-
sented, form a fair STANDARD by
which to Judge the probable effect
of its re-estsbllshment. Ii had a
fair aud complete trial and was
found wanting. Shall we 60 back
wafd instead Of forward?
The statement, taken from the
books of the city and given in ou
local columns, shows conclusively
that it was much more costly than
the present system, which has been
/ in operation only a little over
year aud, therefore, has not yet had a
| fair trial. This statement shows
that the city was run in 1892 for
| 81, 2O2,l4 less than it was in 1891, the
last year of the old government, and
for about $4,000 less than it was in
1899.
The aggregate amount of taxes
levied on real and personal property
for 1891 was $30,627,7 for 1892 it
was $4,000 "a, and Cor 1898 $4,000
showing decrease in two years OF
nearly $4,000 in the amount levied.
There has been some complaint that
while the rate was reduced last year
the properly valuation was raised
The fact that the aggregate levy
was so much reduced, however
proves unquestionably that tn.
people Of Columbia are not paying rs
much tax under the new as they did
under the former system If the
property is rightly equalizad they
must pay much less this year than
they did previous to 1892.
II the taxes for last yesr had all
been collected, the city could have
paid olf'all its floating Indebtedness
and would have a balance Of abOu'
$4,000 in the treasury; fO', by refer
ence to the figures, it will be seen
that while the outstanding liabili-
ties ara about $4,000 the uncol-
lected taxes amount to about $22 900.
We are satisfied that our present
charter, with the Improvements that
can be made in it by amendments
1 is about as good as we could devise
hut II We must have an entire
change, let US have something bet
ter than the old system. The promi-
nent feature of the present system is
. the con .entration of executive pOwe:
into The hands Of three Supervisors
Thee officers are selected by the
Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Ii
whom is lodged the strictly legisla'
tive 20 yer and who act as check
upon the big Three" The Su
: pervis IRA are to be chosen with ref
: eren .e o their qualifications for dis
; charging the duties of their Office
and must devote their entire time
to tn cjty's affairs.
| Under the old system, the BOart
l of Mayor and Aldermen practically
exercised all power, both executive
and legislative. The executive IF
fairs were administered principal,
by the Cnairmen of the various com
miteps appointed by the Board
The Ch4irmen of the various com
mitteea did the city work whlcf
waa allotted to them "a an incident t,
their private business. Necess 4ril.
they could not do the public business
as well MS men whose whole tim
aud thought were devoted to the du
ties of their office. That three wei
, qualified men devOting all their tim
tt the municipal BUSINESS can do
! more satisfactorily than eight o
; ten Aldermen who spend an Ole
! hour now and then looking after tn
{ streets or lights or finances of tn
Il city, is plain business propositio
the veriest dullard can understand
= When the people of Columbia FIX
q anime these facts carefully and cor
. slider the whole question seriously
( we are convinced that large ms
= iOrity of them will be against tn
v Aud -ews bill. A majority of tn
!. tax payers will certainly be aga H.
it. In fact, we are informed tbs
r such mSjOrity have already signe
g the petition against it, In n matte
l. which affects them so directly an
=. materially wa think that the WiahC