The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-03-14
TWO YEARS OF
GOOD MANAGEMENT

GOOD MANAGEMENT.
A city administration more directly
Affects its Inhabitants thar. all the
state and national affairs. The Duke
administration In Guthrie has been OF
high order and everywhere charac.
terized by good. sound sense and I'M
questioned integrity The voters will
need to exercise great care to see that
their standard is maintained by select
ing fully competent men to hold the
reins of city government for the next
term. Upon the manner In which this
Is done win depend the prosperity OF
the city Of Guthrie.
Two years ago when the campaign
for electing city officers was being
waged. DR.. Duke and his associates
promised that. If they were elected,
they would give the city a good busl-
ness administration. They have lived
up to that promise in every particular
and should receive an expression of
appreciation from every citizen who
believes In efficiency and good gov
ernment. In many ways the path of
city officer is far from flowery and
one of the hardest things in II all is
that the people, who really appreciate
good work, say nothing and the kick
ers and Knockers are ever wide-mouth-
ed and spectacular.
For the past two years the business
of this city has not been run on the
fireworks plan Business has been
quietly and properly done, without
the aid of field artillery and sky
rockets, which for the most part are
Usually displayed for the purpose of
attracting the attention of the UNI
wary, while the pickpocket gets in his
work. Guthrie has had some expert
ence along this line, but not during
the last two years.
When Mayor Duke and the new
council took up the financial situation
they found that the city owed S11 900
in unpaid bills, dre but not allowed
for the reason that there was no
money with which to pay them and
that the old council could not allow
them at that time, for the reason that
the city was up against the limit and,
nyway they did not want them in
the campaign.
| The finance committee set out the
actrisl condition of the city the first
thing they did and boldly faced the
situation What was the result? The
present condition Of the city finances
best tells the story Today all the
bills are paid, both old and new, and
there is money in the treasury 10
meet every warrant drawn or bill ac-
cruing. This, too, in face of the fact
that the saloon licenses had been paid
three months in advance and expend
I'd by the Barnes administration.
! Every day of the last two years has
been one of recuperation and advance
The electric lights have been the best
iD the city's history aad thirty new
arc lights have been added to the
street services; 40 per cent of the
consumers have been supplied will
avster meters and soon the entire ser
vice will be provided for Meter rates
have been reduced 10 per cent. The
poll tax has been reduced from $40t
TO $3.50. The pay roll has been re
deed $4,000 per month without i'm
rairing in the least the efficiency o
the city's business or work Their,
has been over 20 blocks of latera
sewer laid and more than as mucl
more IS under outract.
Quarterly reports making a full
, clear and specific showing OF the city
, affairs have been regularly rendered
so that the people might know eN
, actly how the city stood and how thei
} affairs were being conducted. Their
has been no disposition to stack u
campaign strff to shoot off in pyrC
J technical display at election time. /
/ has been a business administrators
I not one of petty politics.
! The voters should carefully seieC
none but the ablest and most efficien
y of its ctizeLs to the municipal place
OF power. to the end that the Capits
5 City may maintain its place at tn
q front and its leadership in all the
: pertains TO local affairs and the bes
e interests OF the territory in genera
r Tine Capital City extends TO ever
D city OF the new state it's best wiShe
Q snd the hope that good governmeT
Q and prosperity may mark the caree
; of each and all of them.