The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-03-11
Why Not Settle the Street
Superintendent Controversy?

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The public, particularly the tax
paving public, is tired and disguised
with the whole Gingles-LOng-BOard Of
Works-Clty Council controversy.
What the public wants is good
streets and more Of them, and it does
not care who is street superintendent
SO long as he is competent and suf
hciently energetic to handle the job.
The whole trouble can now be set
tied BY the immediate resignation of
Gingles and Long and the Board OF
Public Works, and all Of them ought
10 resign. The council could then
elect a new board, the board could
hire a new street superintendent, and
the street superintendent could get
down TO business and attend to the
work which he is paid to perform.
So far as the two street sUperinten-
dents are concerned, the public does
not want either Of them. 1t does not
want Gingles because he left his post
Of duty at the very time when, above
all other times, he was needed in the
city. Ii does not want Long because
few people believe that he has sufi-
cient practical knowledge Of road
building 10 make him a competent
man for the position, and it is, more
over, doubtful if he can legally re-
tain IL. These gentlemen ought, there
fore, 10 step down and out, end the
litigation and the controversy and
make room for another man
When it comes to the Board of
Public Works, the differences exist
ing in that superheated and super
conceited body ought to be soon set
tied There is no pay in the positions
and no good reason why Turner and
Zelius should not each resign and al
low the council to elect a board that
could be in harmony with somebody
or something The members of the
present board cannot agree among
themselves and they are certainly not
running things to suit the public.
The Journal does not believe that
any one particular man is TO blame
for this present disagreeable state of
affairs. The whole trouble dates back
70 the time when Mr.. Gingles, after
being elected by popular vote to the.
once of city alderman, allowed his
friends to persuade him 10 resign the
Dffice and accept a salaried appoint
ment at the hands Of a board which
he himself had helped to create. The
next mistake occurred when Mr.. Gin
giles applied for permission TO leave
the city during the yellow fever and
the board gave him permission to do
so. If he wanted 10 leave his post
just at a time when his services were
most needed he should have resigned,
and the Board Of Public Works should
not have allowed him TO go under any
other condition. Giving him indefinite
lEnNE VI unoNuAG IL NAACAG AAAC uDeA "
fell down as well as Mr.. Gingles.
But all this is past history MOI
one can now help what has been done.
We cannot undo the mistakes of thel
past ten months, but several gentle /
men can contribute materially to the
avoidance Of any more mistakes by
quitting the game right now.
In the interest, therefore, of Official /
harmony and the public good, The
Journal calls on you, Messrs. Gingles /
and Long, Turner and Zelius, TO re-
sign and give those Of our people who
care nothing about such petty differ
ences a chance to see what is being
done and what they are getting for
their money. They already know who
Is being done and what they are not
retting. Will the designations be
forthcoming?