The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-21
MUNICIPAL q ovERNMENr.
[a tho Editor % the Press,

To the Editor If the Press;
This communication OF Mr.. e. q.
Jordan, which appeared In the PRESS Of
18th inst, may be fairly said to be plea
for Independents action by the public
works department.
Having been city engineer, his sugges-
81 ons are based upon experience and are
entitled to especial consideration.
There is community of interest In
city affairs. They should be conducted
with view to the general welfare.
A city Is the only corpo ration which
considers political afiinities In the
selection of Its officers. In other corpor-
att ons, the stockholders select such OF
their members as they believe to be best
qualified to manage their propsrty and
insure dividends. The dividends are
Increased or decreased according to the
ability and integrity Of the management.
In city, the citizens are, SO to speak,
the tocKholders, and taxes the divi-
dends, kthe taxes being increased or de-
creased according TO the economy In the
administration of public affairs.
The public works department Is as
open TO criticism as are the police and
fire departments,
The m syor knows from bitter expert
ence that the chief magistrate should
have absolute power TO remove either
directly, or through the head OF the de-
partment. any unworthy employe.
He has power to remove the marshal,
but neither he nor the marshal has
power to remove a patrolman. He APP
parently believes that the public Interest
would be safer with the police depart
ment under unrestricted control of the
mayor. L think he Is right, and honor
him for standing for what he considers
the best interest of all. 1t would be
much easier for bin TO go with the tide,
but he could not DO SO having the
knowledge he possesses without doing
violence to the public interest. and to
his self-respect as we'll. lie seems TO
| have been placed before the community
as an obstinate obetructionist, he is, in
fact, a courageous safeguard.
We seem to bs proceeding on the basis
that all past mayors have been and all
( future mayors will be of SO small mental
and moral calibre that all minor en-
ployes must be protected from tyrannical
oppression by the chief magistrate. 1
object. How would 1t do to lay aside
questions OF party advantage, individual
aspirations and jealousies, and consider
| the question OF the public goodf Ordi-
narily l should exclude self interest also,
but IN this case the self interest OF every
Taxpayer points to economical manage
ment as affecting the burden OF taxation
and self interest and economy seem to
be synonymous Self-seeking and self
interest on any other basis, seem to show
willingness to advance the material
| in terest OF the self-seeker at the expense
of fellow tax payers.
In national politics, cur little city Is an
infinitesimal atom. Why should we
divide on political linesf What difference
does it make in our municipal affairs
what party the mayor atiiiiates With
Why not with as good reason divide
on religious beliefs.
Many of our citizens are stockholders
in corporations. Does anybody know of
one that, in electioni of officers, has any
thought other than the best management
of the PROPERTY
Would any one entertain for a moment
the suggestion that the manager be de-
rrived of power to remove an en-
ploye If in his judgment the interests
of ths corporation required IL? Would
any one ask whether the President was O
Republican or Democrat, Catholic or
Protestant, Methodist or Baptist, and
SO ong
The only question considered is the
ability TO manage the property for the
best interest OF the stockholders.
John w. Dana.