Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-03-21

bearing bonds, the cty's indebtedness
for these purposes now aggregatins
about $5OO,00O. For these expcndi-
lures the city has something to show
in the form of public improvements.
but for the S11O,OO0 of the taxpayers
money which the Commissioners have
in four years wasted by reck-
less and extravHgant policy of mnnag-
ing the affairs of the city. the people
have nothing TO show The only rem.
edy for these conditions as Treasurer
Berger has said in the columns of the
Beacon, If the Proxy system is per-
mitted to continue, Is to raise the tax
levy so that Akron people must pay
| double taxes for the next two or three
years to lift the city out of debt
IN view of these conditions. do the
taxpayers want to see the Proxy sys-
ten sustained?
But what will be done if | am
elected, you ask. If am elected
Mayor, ! shall name a Democratic
Commissioner, whose vote, with that
of Mr.. McGarry's. will be cast against
eNtlavagant measures of public pol
Icy such as Judge Anderson has been
able to put through the Board within
the last three years by his control
of majority of it's members. Thus
even though the two Democratic mem
bers may not he able to get through
| any constructive measures for the
benefit of the people against the op
position of the Republican members
they can at least prevent the other
side from getting through measures
| unfriendly to the people. I shall not
attempt to dictate the appointment of
both Commissioners, as Judge Ander-
son has done. / shall Ire content to
regain for the people the control Of
at least one half the Board, which
will in that way protect the interests
of the people until they are able to get
an act through the Legislature that
will give them a new form of govern,
ment, or if the present system is con,
tinued, the right to elect their own
City Commissioners.
This is my platform: Reform the
administration of the Board Of City
Commissioners right now: reform the
| law by which the Commissioners sys,
tenn is imposed upon the city when
| the Legislature meets. The Legisla>
ture can do nothing for Akron be.
fore a year mt the very least ! give
my pledge TO reform the administers
tion of the Board Immediately after
my election, In voting for me the
! people will take no chances of a con,
tinuation of the Proxy system. And
in the event of my election, if Judge
Anderson insists upon maintaining
the Board as it now is, so that he can
continue to pay his political debts
by still further banlSruptng our treas
ury, | guess there will be enough pub
lie spirited citizens in Akron with the
moral courage to say TO him: Hands
OFF,
"'rhe chair warmers the time serv,
ers, the place holders who are now
thriving M the expense of our tax
payers. are all lighting me- i'm this
campaign. | want them to fight me.
want them to know that am against
them. Il the people elect me shall
have no political debts to pay at their
expense, am glad that even my
enemies point to these privilegc-seclI,
ing factions which they have drawn
to their support as the surest guar
anty of their expected success. ] am
glad that they are fighting me because
in the past I have tried in humble
way to block some of their raids upon
| the city treasury. The howl against
me Is the howl that always goes up
from the pensioners of rotten poll
tical machine when you threaten to
shut off their opportunity to feed at
the public crib.
The abiect servility of the present