The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-06-23
What's the Matter With Politics?
BY RAY e. RRoWNELL-

I pointee whose austerity the better fits
him for the dignity that is his due.
This appointee owes allegiance to no
! one save the man higher up and be-
sides the wheels OF the machine are
easily CREASED with the oil OF good
1 fellowship when the time comes and
/ IL is necessary TO fix things up" So
our friend usually finds a bewhisker-
ed gentleman with an air OF ''awfully
busy. sir, what may | do for you:
/ The citizen possibly becomes a little
weak In the knees and with a dry
/. cough says In an undertone-guess
I'm In the wrong office-and goes out
into the corridor again TO see a sem
blanoe of authority in the janitor who
has eyes 10 the front.
Possibly the citizen seats himself
beneath the rotunda OF the county
capital or in the hall OF the city
building. as the case may be, and
falls 10 specializing not a little. He
is Just one of the common voters out
OF many, without pull or real i'm
portance in the political world; but
he owns a homestead and has few
papers out at interest. all OF which
matters stand at full value. on the
ward assessors roll and for years
this same citizen has paid his full
proportionate share of taxes because
he has not seen fit 10 dodge the in
euiry Of the tax commission. Thus
he is a tax payer and a citizen and
| ii is he who has come to the court
house to satisfy his mind and thus
koI, ,x.oLa vronar calartfnn IF mn H.
lie officers. Surely, he reflects, | am
In a poor position to investigate, and
very possibly 1t Is true these public
officials should not be bothered by
every citizen demanding personal in
spection OF county and city affairs:
but is II not equally true that We as
private citizens should have means Of
knowing the condition OF those same
affairs? But how are we. to know?
IL has not been uncommon within
the last few years to find evidence of
incorporation in many districts OF
the state and each time that evidence
has come to light in a place where
there was considerable wealth and a
municipality OF some Importance. so
liz Is but business like to be Informed
as 10 the conditions OF affairs.
Thus Il Is our friend meditates and
finally as he goes down the stone
steps leaving the building. he reaches
this conclusion--to avoid further EN-.
barassment. and possible private en-
hancement In the future there should
be some annual accounting by GER
tain officers or a board appointed spe.
cially for that purpose. For instance.
It would be more fitting 10 have a
board OF county commissioners whose
duty II would be, TO render an ex-
pert and accurate report each fiscal
year, than TO have the publicity OF
a grand jury and subsequent indict-
ments. We should have wider leg.
islative city administration vested IN
this special commission OF few
members with broad powers OF admin.
istration and legislation. These for
the reason that a municipality is a
corporation transacting vast volume
OF business each year and II but reas-
enable on the part OF the tax payer 10
ask that these Affairs be conducted In
a buslness-like manner. Thus the
several commissions are abolished and
a more modern business-like admins
tration substituted. One OF the needs
in local politics today is not frequent
grand juries but a proper accounting
by an expert board who render an