The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-11
CITY SUPPLIES.

Together with fat salaries, contracts for public
work repairs and FOR furnishing supplies to the
city have had habit of draining money from the city
treasury. when there has been administration
which has had objection to unnecessarily large pay
rolls and has exercised vigilance in making con-
tracts enforcing their fuliment An administers
ton cannot make n more honest straightforward and
commcndahc bid for popular support than by plsic-
ticng economy and abolising lisreputabe practices
which, in plain Anglo Saxon forms of stealth
soon after his Inauguration Mayor Wells impressed
upon city officials, did Comptroller Player not only
the necessity but the duty of enforcing economy and
conducting all departments on business lines. Only
lately the Mayor mas ordered the investigation of
transactions that appeared irregular and Comptroller
Player has issued circular letter, warning officials
that extravaganza will not under any circumstances,
he tolerated
Jailcr Dawson, who did good work while Sergeant
in the Mayors Office and who appreciates the obli-
cations of office. entered complaint with the Mayor
within the last fortnight that disnfecint furnished
him satisfactory. y sample sent 10 the
City Chemist, who stated that. in his opinion,
terial of the quality of the disinfectnnt which was
furnished could he prepared at cost of > cents Il
pound whereas the price asked of the city II
cents pound. The Mayors private secretary. Mr..
McConkey, is conducting investigation in order
to get evidence against the contractor Mayor Wells
proposes that the city shall not he made the victim
of spoilsmen. whether themselves public officials
the friends of public officials
Health Commissioner Simon states that meat sup
piled TO city institutions is not up To the standard.
He has ordered that all supplies be inspected de-
livery. and. when not satisfactory. be refused. He
takes the stand Mayor Wells Comptroller
Player. Secretary McConkey, Jacr Dawson and other
officers Elarbor and Wharf Commissioner Whyte
and License Collector Clifford among the first to
stop abuses in the purchase of supplies.
Probably the most effective work in this direction
has been done by Comptroller Player and Commits
sioncr of Supplies Boyce who has been in office only
Il few weeks For time it has been custom
to issue what were called emergency" acquisitions.
Departments neglected 10 keep record of the depe-
ton Of supplies and when supplies became exhausted.
called upon the Commissioner of Supplies to make
purchases in hurry. This hurry was unnecessary
and expensive
Messrs Player and Boyce conferred and decided
that emergency acquisitions would longer be
honored. If official should suddenly ascertain that
certain supplies had become exhausted, he would be
informed that this fault of the Comptroller
or of the Commissioner of Supplies and that the
complaint indicated that the official, whatsoever he
might be. dcrelict in duty. He would be told to
attend to business better
This is the sort of Government that the people of
st. Louis like and that Mayor Wells wishes to have
every day until the end of his administration The
city is getting away from old and irregular methods,
and there no leaks in the city treasury Spoils-
men are in disrepute in the City Hall. The public
officials may he that they have the unqualified
support of all good citizens in this good work.