The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-01-30

IT may be tritie early TO discuss city
politics. but as the writer has few sug-
gestions to make which are perhaps
little out OF the general run of things, 1t
may be we'll to offer them In season SO
that time may exert Its mellOw:ng IN
ftueGce II the views are deemed little ex-
IRENE The best time 10 discuss dispas-
sicnately weaknesses in our system OF
government is some time before or after
campaign, not IN the heat of one.
A city Is simply large corporation
the administration of whose affairs should
| be managed upon the same basis that
safe business is conducted. Practical as
Americans usually are, they have as yet
! not been able to divorce the government
Of the city from politics. In larger cities
| this has led to great evil so that our sys-
| tenn OF city government Is looked upon
as the weakest spot IL our governmental
| institutions. Now while the evil results
OF trying TO run a business on a republl-
/ can or democratic basis have not been SO
marked In small cities as 10 large ones,
all cities share to some extent the cOnse-
/ quences OF injecting national and state
| politics into their affairs
Why should we in our small city vote
| as democrats or republicans when voting
/ fer aldermen or mayor? Why should the
same political machinery that is used IN
| national campaigns be broughtlntO re-
! QUESTION when We are about TO select a
| city treasurer or a member OF the county
| board? Must We continue to slaughter
| good men inst for the sake of securing
| equally good men TO fill our city offices?
The strength and success Of city gov
! eminent depends on two things; first on
| the active interest the people as a whole
| take IN the management Of city affairs.
| and second on the character OF the men
| To whom Is entrusted the temporary
management Of these affairs. To secure
| the fir We have but to pattern after the
| people of the town. There Is 20 town IN
| the county that complains of lack OF
| interest IN the annual town meeting
| There Is not Il town house at that time
which IS not filled TO overlooking with
voters who meet 10 hear OF the manner
| In which town matters have been conduct
| ed. The reports Of town officers are scru-
| nniZed carefully and woe to the town
| board which has transcribed its powers
or which has been derelict IL the dis
! charge of any duty.
Why not introduce a similar system in
| the city? Under onr present arrange
ment ward caucuses are attended by a
| comparatively small number of voters,
| who simply assemble to select few dele
! gates to the city convention, or nominate
ward officers, all in the space of few
minutes and then adjourn. There ie not
a word Of discussion on city affairs. How
many voters, who thus meet annually,
| know the amount of the Indebtedness of
| the city, how contracted and the provls-
ious made for It's payment? People sure
ly would be Interested In talking over the
financial affairs of their own business.
| No wonder the caucus fails to attract the
| masses of voters. The need of the hour
is evidently 70 give the caucus more to
do. Let us learn a lesson from the town
meeting. The mayor should be empOw-
cred and directed to prepare an annual
report in which he discusses the manage
ment of city affairs during the previous
year. To it should be appended such re-
ports of inferior officers as will enable the
people to discover just how The city
stands financially. If these reports were
circulated a week IN advance of the spring
caucus the voters could assemble to do
something else besides voting printed
tickets forced into their hands by inter
ested parties. There would naturally
follow discussions on city policy and aims
and we would have reason to suppose
that a more intelligent interest would be
taken in the administration of city affairs
by the great body Of citizens who now
pass1vely acquiesce in what is done by a
small get active minority. And granted
that such cauCuses or meetings could be
brought about. The people would as
semble not as democrats or republicans
but as citizens of Manltowoc who have
the welfare of the city at heart. It would
do away at once and forever with parti-
sanship in city elections. for party lines
are rarely If ever drawn IN town meetings
and the same would be the case in the
ward gatherings Thus also these citi-
zen meetings would make easy the selec-
ton OF proper persons to carry ont the
wishes of the Observation-Disclosures.
This brings us to the second point, the
securing of able city officers. We want
the best men for all positions that must
be flied. And we can get such If their
selection be left to caucus as above,
described. Let the union ward caucus
nominate the aldermen, supervisors and
the other officers and the spectacle of two
sets of worthy men running against each
other for petty ward offices Will disappear.
This plan, carried ont to its logical
conclusions, wCuli result IN giving our
city thoroughly non partisan business
administration always IN touch with pnb-
lie opinion, the court of last resort in
| orpvarppoapt