The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-04

ton Of hose came up, and We suspected,
whether wrongly or not | DO not care 10
state, that influences We're at work in IA
vor Of certain bidders The hose usually
heretofore bought cost 81. Wei mean ~
that the board OF awards--took the mater
away from the fire department, and got Ps
good an article for 81 cents. saving several
Thousand dollars TO the taxpayers.
would like TO give another Illustration
Of the benefits Of competition. The former
city librarian prepared specifications for
tho hooks. stationery and printing required
by the different departments aHd subde-
partmcnts OF the municipal government.
went over them very carefully and saw
certain defects. Tho board OF awards took
my view Of the case, and We drew up new
specifications ana readvertiged them. !
have now 2 letter from the librarian whose
specifications were discarded, frankly ad-
m!tt ng that our action had saved Tor IN
people SIs63 T. for the year, AID adding
In my judgment you are 10 be congrot-
ulated for the firm stand you have taken
In TIE matter
There are SO many facts to illustrate the
po.n,s which l have mentioned that l >eel
cons trained to add more. The water depart
ment OF the city had been Independent fer
years and had not considered itself under
tho general supervision Of the admnlstra-
ton. ] was very fortunate to secure AZ the
head Of the department a man VINO hau good
Judgment ana VINO was genuinely interest
cd N the cause OF goou government and a
direct business administration. HIS methCd
WIS simplicity .tscii. he went to the root
OF matters saw what needed to he done
found the men who could do il ana Topped
oil those who were not returning iuil vaue
IN their work The result was d ng OF
something Ike s.lS,O51 tn "a year, ana he
service today s better than it has ever
before been in tho wuoie history OF Balti-
more.
! The first point was investigation, the Sec
ond was competition, and The thlcd was
cash.
4 That is to say, pay as you go, For years
Baltimore had been living on borrowed
money, collecting floating debts until Trey
had 10 bg funded, and thus ,ncre4s ug the
bonded obligations OF the city. AZ was Mid
arrangements which the average taxpayer
can never iully understand OF apptce ate
until the tax bll comes .r u TOOK ne oie
work TO make the change. hat we have
done ID b less than year. When ihe ne y
charter Wen into effect tho finances re
In wretched cuud ton. an enormous tund-
ed cbt existed, and there Was lax rate
when was not oniy Cypress sc but which
made unuarketable, in The cp,nlop of some
real estate which had to bear lna Druu, OF
taxation. | made he point that the C. y
finances should he reduced 10 cash has s
and that 10 could be done In the face VI
some opposition and many doubts we sue
ceeded IN accompl shing his end. TO the
further saving OF thousands OF dollars tol
the people. Let me give an instance Of
how irregular the finances Of city may
become.
Shortly after my INAUGURATION, discor
cred that the deposit banks holding the
oty's money were not required to pay in
terest to the city on $4,000 OF their re
r spective deposits. In other words, 5000
| of the cttys money in each bank was OK
empt from the payment OF any interest
10 change this may seem small matter
puV Al means neatly s-yp yer 10 IN
ely treasury. Nuo'hel tn'hs. Al my su6
vi llth Haa tllI f..f
{ Oh me Guy tuHus mas to give to lae mayo
- anu e'-g council OF ha!Lmore oohus IN n
e pSnal sum OF $1UuuOV' Win Acceptable sc
K curly. sec tho Consequences we not on
8 balances, out every doilar mat the ct
l. mas IL uuuoly PIoleclcu against lalluro q
uIs9ster, . ,..,,
T, ! ne rSsg1itS IN Tess lh4u a year are say
C NIB OF Si' ,ou@.o1' ituue,loIl OF inc Ia
= rate from " to Si.6' ana, with 1t all tn
e improvement OF the puhlc service IN ever
3, knowledge mat tnele Is today no lobby con
II hecled Win the CITY government OF Balt
x more. There are no comm's Sions and u
IahS-ols' Every o'hotnolder uneS ms WoF
10 as ne would LOT wen organized bushes
4 mouse pelhg wen PAID Tor Il ana KNOWN
o. t"I mo So b, 81 p1,e1 ' h IS I'm
le As for myself l would simply say that
in have never ana snail never let any polit
4 fmiv daJermfnea rap rhern Nra' t
u, ical pun in the present administration
Or the municipal affairs OF Bait more.
r VI coupst, tnere nave ave oeen some ratn'
ne urI"s ,iNuV, ,. "nu VAp'itvu uohiect'
WI MS 70 oiuu.ulI VI ivy suNerilhtu
or ~ - "anH 70 w, ,, ~ Sun pSop'e 'nat
as 10 hot Wuse 10 pIy auPpuVS OF man D
* aus "e 10 a eU1u pa. s'H1i, Mhen JUS con
ne per''oI VI tne o,"'' Po't'.u"' pa'S s'Ns
nd per uel' She"PSa, ! nave hau some o.
nj pWot,H' as, 'sVnt muse W." nqSe p.I
an r AZ S, uS ny ssa'u iiHt tpV PupI.c VI,
n l''es peiu"e " 'ng pup.'N' ana tnat WI
lis 2 prtHute person "lSnes 10 us any OF me
al M su1ulu We maui 70 pay ior me ptlVHtS
nd ne puhIu OF csuinateS mas uphsld
to oOItens'or, anu WI ll.lu that most VINO ma
lct vn3oGeu esr.I,h "itowahees IN me past a
ne .ot uuppS Whe" Wy Wy "S poupeled 20 !
IN iVr thuh now WnIt nus suFprlseu NJ
ler hoMekoI' mas oeSn snat Nh'ie the auml
rs. istIatluu was uuuer u'o Iom ms CAUSE
IL WV Neeh' RON ohe OF the 'eaulns new
an Rupels W lue Wy, hul VOICE, MOI 9u
10 hc Het'thS, onueHNoIea 10 encourage
en- 70 uphold we heh VINO were sacrlhclnS
Ter Suhe ANU PupuIeI,lN i1I Tue Wateual We
nd nare Oh tuH psopie' W course mat "
IT'S confess that | should like to see mc
Of 1nT M "1 more NgorouS pubic s9
pss public administration.
M AAA
~
Il the Vulnerable point OF all city COVER
,X inent Is the city council. aud the y,lue
,,,, 80, .h,r.a. l., H. i, ra.- IT, -,
ra1 ~ ~ N'' W. 20 va ~" ''"'"' s" NH0'
ma ing tho council the voting away OF mon
- for DptTv lorul interests trading