The record-union., 1897-10-20
WE NEED A CHANGE.

If for no other reason-thouSh heaven
knows there are others-we need a
change of administration in this city
because of the hopeless and all but
criminal negligence and incompetency
of management in direction and exc
cution in the street department.
The anagement of that department
begins and ends with the Mayor. He
alone is responsible for it. 1t is in his
power to name the official head and to
cause his removal. Ever since the
present management has been in power
it has been the subject of general and
just complaint on the part of the peo-
pie But these complainings have been
of no avail. The complacent Chief Ex-
ecutive of the city has not allowed his
urbanity to be disturbed by them, and
things have gone on steadily from bad
to worse, approaching at times danger
ously near to willful and defiant mis-
management.
The street department under the pres
ent administration has been distin-
new and original examples of ignorance
and inefficiency, the title to which no
one will dispute with the Mayor or his
subordinates. With the laws and ordi
nances relative to street obstruction
and refuse and garbage on the high
ways written so plainly and prominent
ly that only the blind can miss them,
they have not only not been enforced,
but complaints on that score have been
treated contemptuously and neglect
fully.
Antiquated ideas concerning methods
Of street-cleaning and street care have
prevailed in the monday blaze of mod
ern progress and proved economics un-
der study, discovery and experience
The department has been wholly un-
equal to the handling of the street.
sprinkling question, and at one time ab-
solutely threw up it's official palms in
despair, and advised citizens to take
the law and club into their own hands
to correct monstrous evils with which
municipal authority confessed its in
ability to cope.
In the repair of old streets, the re-
surfacing of new streets and the care of
newly constructed highways, there have
been manifest the same ignorance, in
competency and inefflciency that have
marked the general policy Of this
branch of the Mayors administration.
Remonstrance. appeal. protest and
kindly advice have fallen upon deaf
ears, and not infrequently honest criti-
cism of official performance has met
with the retort of insult and charge of
falsehood and ulterior purpose.
For the incompetency, inef1ciency
dictatorial and autocratic methods of
the department and its servitors, the
Mayor of the city is alone blamewor-
thy. No smaller game than that can
receive any attention. The creature is
chargeable to the creator of an incom-
l
petent arm of service. If there was any
one thing upon which the candidates
were unanimous at their recent meet
| ing with the wheelmen, it was that the
Mayor is responsible for the proper ad-
ministration of the street department.
But in this case how has it been?
From neither the department itself nor
from the executive that gives its activ-
| ity has there gone forth so much as
suggestion for the betterment of the
! deplorable street conditions From
neither has there been announced a
definite, wise policy relative to the care
and treatment of the bitnnenized
/ streets; there has been advanced by
neither any wise suggestion to the peo-
pie or the local legislature for the care
and cleaning of the streets, nor for the
care Of the newly macadamized streets
Promise Of reform in sprinlxling lived
only until the sun beat upon it. Incom-
potency has stalked supreme in the su-
1 pervision of the construction of new
streets and the repair of old ones. Il
has slapped the people in the face al
street-crossings and has insulted them
on the high road by absolute neglect of
the eommonest, requirements of decency
in the care of the public highways
With these truths before all the peo-
pie. we are confident that with William
Land as Mayor we will have compe-
tency, efficiency and vigor in the street