The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-11
BEReUNDTHAL's OPPORTUNITY

BERGUNDTHAL's OPPORTUNITY
w. S. BergundthaI has an opportunl-
ty, such as comes but seldom. to make
a record in the Office of mayor. There
are matters which viii come up during
his term Of office which. if settled
rightly, will lend to his name peculiar
distinction. and make people remember
his work with pride.
It is altogether probable that it will
be Mayor Bergundthals duty to estab-
nsh the city ownership regime at the
waterworks plant. This viii be an
epoch in the history Of Topeka, and
upon how the work is done will depend
much of how successful city ownership
viii prove to be- It will be for Mayor
Bergundthal and the council to decide
what win be the best plan for managing
the concern; whether by a superintend-
ent, as the electric light plant is man
aged, acting indirectly under the coun-
ell committee on electric lights, or by
some other plan.
Mayor Bergundthal is. fortunately, a
man in whose integrity and business
sagacity the people believe they can de-
pend, and he is. moreover, heartily in
favor of entirely divorcing the manage
ment of the waterworks from politics
Another great problem which con-
fronts the mayor is the floating debt Of
upwards Of $4,000 which the city has
contracted during the past five or si--
years. The debt is illegal and could not
have been piled up if the law had been
followed The law prohibits the coun-
ell from paying out money in excess of
the funds on hand. But so easy is it to
borrow a few thousand at 6 per cent
a. IL. 49, Ill
has blandiy violated the law, and year
after year has drawn warrants on an
empty treasury. This applies of course
only to the current expenses of the city.
The only legitimate way for the city
to ever make uD the deficit is to save
money. Its income is as large as it is
likely to be for several years. Mayor
Parker tried to wipe out the deficit by
increasing the revenue from the police
department fines. but in this effort he
failed, because the council spent the
money as fast as it came in
Golden. the English statesman. said
that nothing was easier than to raise
A cheer in the house of commons by
praising economy. and nothing harder.
nothing more certain to lead to defeat
than to propose some specific reduction
This is exactly the situation in the city
council Of Topeka. It is easy to adopt
resolutions and declarations favoring
strict economy, but when ever some I'M
necessary expenditure is proposed it is
adopted without question because the
councilmen are generally afraid ana
fear to oppose each others pet projects
If Mayor Bergundthal can hold his
councilmen together in stalwart cru
SADIE against extravaganza in city
affairs. the $4,000 deficit can be made
up. Mayor Bergundthal thinks it can
be made UP in two years. and he is
right. But it can't be done without the
cordial cooperation of the councilmeu
and the mayor.
Elected without the handicap Of cleo
ton pledges, and by an overwhelming
majority which shows him that the PEG
pie are with him. Mayor BergundthaI
can feel free to select good men for his
appointive positions, regardless of th.
political heelers who are now houndfne
him for Jobs. It is the universal expe.-
rience that the politician who does what
is right just as near as he can is the
one who has the most enduring success,
and the one who truckles to every pO-
litical consideration is the one who is
shortly known as a has BEEN
It takes courage. cool head, and
sterling integrity to be a successful
mayor, besides superior intellectual
qualifications. We believe that Mayor
Bergundthal has these requisites. ana
will give Topeka a frst-class business
administration