The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-06


be carried out, or one equally as good.
In any event the citizens should see
that a valuable franchise is not given
away. It is our franchise to dispose
of, and our board of works and our
council have the matter in hand, there
fore it Is our duty to see that our
agents rightly serve their masters.
This is a part of labor's problem in
Richmond
Price Of Gas Too High.
The supply OF natural gas is being
fast exhausted, and the local company
which formerly paid large dividends
to It's stockholders when it sold gas
at twenty-five cents per thousand is
now paying small dividends when gas
Is fifty cents. Many are using artifi-
cial gas, and many more will do SO.
The rate on artificial gas is $1.00 per
thousand, a rate entirely too high to
the consumer. Indianapolis has sixty
cent gas and many cities, where the
facilities are no better for producing
gas than here. are getting lower rates
than Richmond. l am reliably inform
i
Is now making sufficient profits off
its excessive gas rates to maintain its
electric light plant, which is selling
hight and power to local consumers at
losing figure. I am very ready to be-
lieve that tho Light, Heat and Power
Co. is bleeding it's gas consumers, for
this is the same concern which by its
outrageous charges, drove Richmond
to municipal ownership of its light
plant; the same concern that main
tanned a press bureau disappearing
the city light plant; the same con-
Germ that tried to poison public opin-
ion by buying a press which refused
to be bought, and the same concern
which is indulging in cut throat bust
ness methods to drive the municipal
plant to the wall. 1t won't be long till
the Light, Heat & Power Co. will need
another franchise, and then its Off
which will seek relief as it did before
when 1t was being robbed through the
medium of electric light and power.
Cheaper light is one of Richmond's
labor problems, and when the Light,
Heat and Power Co. asks for another
franchise. Richmond labor must then
assert It's rights.
"The already fair rates of the Munich
pal Light plant are to be reduced, but
this should not cause the Richmond la
borer to relax his interest in the plant
It is our plant, and we must continue
to see that it is we'll managed
And now I come to a consideration
of our city government. 1t, like most
city governments throughout the land,
is wrong in principle. It was con-
ceived on the plan of the state and ma
tional government, which the func-
tons are entirely dissimilar. Rich
mond, like any city, is no more than
business corporation with contracts
to make, property to preserve and men
to employ. In order that the manage
ment OF this corporation may be sue
cessful 1t must be conceived and
worked out on business principles.
This, Galveston, Houston, Des Moines,
and many other cities have appreciat-
ed, and they have designed commits
sion form of government.
City Government Wrong.
MANY of you are no doubt familiar
with this form of government, but it's
operation has been SO signally success
full that l feel must impress on you
it's many good points. The fundamen-
tai feature is the wiping out of nat
iona party lines, and placing an Of
flee holder entirely on his merit. At
the primary election two men are
nominated for mayor, and eight men
are nominated for commissioners, all
of whom are candidates on their own
initiative and not at the solicitation of
any party. From these ten men. a
mayor and four commissioners are Sc
lected at a popular election. Into their
hands the executive, legislative and
judicial affairs of the city are then
entrusted. Each officer takes a de-
partment of administration under his
| immediate control, and he is respon.
sible for that department though all
important actions are discussed in
daily meetings of the commission. All
employees Of the city get their posi-.
| tons after competitive examinations
have been held, and being a good poll.
tician is no asset to an applicant for
a job. Where this form of govern.
ment has been tried it has resulted
in more efficient service to the city
at less expenditure
Initiative and Referendum.
THE initiative and referendum fea
ture makes 1t possible for the citizens
to originate laws. and requires that all
| important ordinances and franchises
be passed on by them at an election
| II so desired. The recall system by
which an officer can be removed from
office for failure to do his duty makes
the commissioners always sensitive to
their obligation to the people.
BY wiping away council, numerous
boards and other officers much power
is placed in the hands of a few. but
these few are so safely controlled by
the people that the best Of results
are obtained with a small chance fol
inefficiency. and an equally small
chance for graft. With officers elect