The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-05

raised by a rate of taxation that
ur2ves a burden to the majority of
property owners. those having little
Above their homes and their daily
wages.
The mayor renews the old recon-
mel iation so persistently urged by
his predecessors Moberts and Betz OF
new city charter in order to "give
| the mayor more authority, place more
| responsibility upon his shoulders,
! give him the appointing of the prin-
| cipal paid city officials, 10 away with
the expensive annual election by hav-
| ing it once in two years.
For ten years or longer until quite
recently there was a great deal of
| agitation for one-man power in cities
| as the remedy for municipal abuses
| and corruption, but public sentiment
on this point seems to be undergoing
a change in view of the horrible ex-
amples of the abuses of one-man pow
er in such cities as Philadelphia It
| would be all right to give the mayor
| full power to appoint and remove for
good cause the principal paid city
officials" if the mayor were always
| independent of the political machines
| that are the bane of good municipal
government For example If Mayor
Hunt had possessed the power of ap-
pointment under the city charter last
April he would have named a chief
| of police not acceptable to the people.
| In fact he did name him, but a major
| ity of the council did not coincide with
his choice, nor did the people when
| they had an opportunity to pass upon
the question. Under the present
charter the city of Walla Walla has
| many special privileges that it could
not retain under a charter adopted by
permission of the state legislature, and
many well-informed lawyers are Of the
opinion that the city has more to lose
| than to gain by the proposed change.
The mayor recommends that steps
be taken to annex the suburban resi-
dence districts. This is a good idea,
but it cannot be carried out until a
| majority of the residents in the out
side districts vote to be annexed. Elk
pansion on the Philippine plan is not
practicable in this case.
The mayor urges better streets, and
sidewalks and the paving of certain
blocks in the business district. This
is a sensible suggestion and it will be
endorsed by all progressive citizens.
Another fire station and more cen
commended This improvement is un-
questionably a necessity for the ade-
quate protection of property from fire
and should be carried out without fur
| Their delay.
The best thing in the mayors mes
sage is in the conclusion and this part
| the Statesman most heartily endorses.
If the mayor will insist upon the re-
form therein advocated he will win
the commentator Of this paper and
Of every fair-minded taxpayer. He
says:
Il request that during the coming
| year you see that the city gets value
received for every dollar expended.
| See that every bill rendered against
the city is properly audited, and that
rigid economy be practiced in every
| department, consistent with the pub
| lie welfare; see that every city en-
ploye does his duty cheerfully and
honestly. You should dictate
Right you are, mayor. Every bill
should be properly audited by the full
council. This, rule should include
every item Of expenditure in the water
department, which handles nearly
5000 Of the city's revenues.
The Statesman would have greater
faith in the mayors sincerity in this
recommendation had he not named
the same finance committee and the
same water committee under whose
| direction so much money was extrava-
gantly expended last year and whose
| bills in many cases were never prop
erly audited by the council
| Performance speaks louder than
promise. We shall judge Mayor
Hunts administration during the COM
ing year by what it does, not by what
it promises to do. The Statesman has
no prejudices against Mayor Hunt or
any of the council Whatever they do
that deserves commentator it will
not be withheld; whatever they do
that deserves condemnation it shall
not be spared through fear or favor