Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-02-11
PUT BUSINESSMEN ON
THE CITY COUNCIL

too much to state that not in . long
time has so much depended on the
work Of the council as will devOlve 10
the next two or three years. The city
has come to a point where It must do
things or settle back into q quiet
country town and see its rivals in
central Kansas go ahead Of IT. The
time is past when it can depend on
luck or can expect business and poPu'
lation to come here without hustling.
The town gained 81 population last
year; it ought to gain 500 every year.
But you cannot expect people to come
here unless you de something to
bring them here, any more than a
merchant can expect to hold his trade
unless he keeps abreast Of the times
Just so long as the town Is run 70
further some ones political ambitions,
to advance somebody's scheme for
petty gain, to punish somebody or to
get even it will be o moderately pros
porous, quiet place. eminently re-
spectacle but all the time falling
farther behind the other towns Of this
section. A great deal depends on the
council. That body spends about
$4,000 every year-and it ought to
do the spending. 1t has no right to
allow the mayor or anybody else to
dispose Of the trust its members have
sworn to perform. There ought TO be
on the council businessmen who are
used to doing business, men who can
handle big affairs. Any citizen who
intended to spend $4,000 annually
on less than two sections Of land
would try to get men familiar with
big affairs to do it. The same spirit
ought to prevail in city affairs. Mr.
Gleissner, Mr.. Coulson and Mf. Hees
who remain on the council should
have placed with them, in those re-
elected and those newly elected, mem
bers who are businessmen, men fully
qualified to do business for the city as
| it should be dones economically bu'
with courage to spend money when
Lit is needed and spend it where 1t is
needed. The 4,4OO residents OF this
town are not stingy, but they have .
right when they pay $4,000 taxes te
have that money spent where It will
bo for the good Of the whole city and
SO SO that the most possible good car
|
be secured. This town needs paving
it needs an intelligent lighting sys
tenn, it needs exploitation Of its ad
vantages as residence city, i needs
advertising Of It's good water, it need
better streets in the residence por
tions, it needs better drainage, i
needs a commercial club that vii
hustle-not the officers alone bu
every member Of it-and In all thes'
things the council must lead, not fol
low. 1t is a business proposition t
be worked out by businessmen. In
REFLEcToR has no interest in 1t abov
that Of any Citizsni it is not the Off
cial paper nor does it care WHO'D
whether or net it becomes 50.
wants to see Abilene grow and forge
It's rivalries and its "scraPs" an
amount to all that 1t should. Th
council should be made up Of the be'
men, regardless Of their politics. an
they should be elected without ha'
ing to 60 into q nasty ward Eight
: win. 1t is unfair to ask them to .
that-and while men have to do tina
1t is dificuIt to get the right men 1
the place. Let's have some sense
this matter and do business.
3 California Ministers Protest.
Il n