The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-07
WHITES BILLS
 ARE ITEMtzED
Expert Accountants Clain Against City Again Sent to
 Finance Committee
There. Is Still Opposition to the
 Bill Because of Mayors Attitude

White, the expert accountant, recog- nizing the determination of the Dem l'ocratic majority in the board of, AL I dermen to know how, why and where fore the city is spending it's money lsubmitted a new report and a new bill to the Common Council last night lWhite appeared before the commit
 tee and frankly stated that the re- T quest of the board for more itemiz- ed -bill from him was reasonable. The Audit committee made a report of ar
 opinion that had been given by City | to the previous bill submitted. The | entire matter was referred to the finance committee.
 It will be taken up by that com
 nittee before the next council meet ing. It would seem now as though
 the finance committee will make | a favorable report back to the coun- Gil on the matter, since Democratic members stated after the meeting last
 night, that ''the new bill seemed more
 I've wanted to know something
 city for and this new bill of his, ii 1 submitted in the first place, would 1 have saved lots of valuable time and | all this trouble" declared one of the 1 aldremen., ,.'The new bill seems to tel
 what we wanted to know"
 After the matter had been present ed to the council Alderman Malcolm
 Macfayden moved that it be sent te the finance committee. Alderman Moran seconded that motion.
 l. White appeared before the Alder men, after Alderman Macfayden ask- ed at ease and spoke in moderate
 tone, modestly and seemingly undis- turbed. When he had finished Alder
 man Robert G. DeForest said: 'I can't I see at this time what questions we may have for this gentleman, until ! committee. 1t is an intricate matter
 and we need time to look 1t over.' T | MT. White said:
 .I have never found situations sc difficult that they could not be clear ed up. by means of a frank man-to- my share of that sort of talking.
 "The situation that confronts us ia
 not of my making. I was engaged by committee of this body to do q j'certafn definite piece of expert work lsI.7was satisfied that the committed
 members are technically qualified to Epass upon the methods and results EOf our work. This committee har kept constantly in touch with us, and | 1t has approved my bill. It Is sat- ! isfied with our plans and with our \ progress, for it recognizes that broad I foundations are necessary before any lasting constructive work can be be- gun. It recognizes too, that it is as impracticable for us to present the T details of our work as we go along as
 it would be for your City Attorney tef). to make public his plans In the 3 course of his preparation of brief. Il "Now, let me say right at the start that unless you gentlemen are inter | ested in my bill as a bill and not as | a football of local politics, we shall T Pm not interested in your political Il situation, except as it interferes with the payment of my bills. My munich I pal work has been in amicable rela- tions with men of all parties.-mem- bers of Tammany Hall in New York; followers of Hinky Dink and Bath.
 house John in Chicago; two antagonis- T tic factions of Republicans in St.
 Louis; and the Socialists in Milwau- kee. Until last month when the
 downfall of the Socialist party put san
 end to the Bureau of Economy and f Efficiency in that city, was tfleil consulting accountant.
 | 'I am not the spokesman of the present administration: I have no part
 in the making, of it's policies. nm interested solely as a public account ant. in the introduction of business methods.-work which my experience Ielsewhere has qualified me tos do. do this not as philanthropist;-al you no doubt appreciate; not as a re- former; but as professional man, al
 the customary rates.-rates which were agreed to by your committee and approvbed by the Miscellaneous committee of the Board of Apportion- ment
 My bill has been attacked upon the ground that it was not itemized in
 sufficient detail; Frankly ! am not so inexperienced in political natter
 as to think for a minute that this was the only. reason for opposition. know too, as many of you do, tha, this council has not always been st insistent after details as, to technical work, but your singling out of my bill in this instance doesn't irritate 'l "f recognize that your request seems natural, and am willing te furnish you with such reasonable par ticulars as you may require. am
 mine attempting to justify the fac' that there is a charge for subsistence That is a matter of uniform prac.
 tice, and it was attended to both ir my estimate and in my engagement T with your committee Nor shall ]
 
 Il to the salaries which I pay the mem bers of my staff. Your relations are | with me and not with my associates One reason is that I don't want te create dissatisfaction among them be- cause the average man, unless he fl 'I an egotist, doesn't want to advertise his earning power.
 q undertook the work in Bridge port knowing that both parties had de clared themselves in favor of a re-or- ganization of the city's business methods. Work of this sort every II where commands the respect and sup port of the solid business men. Al soon as it is understood by the men in office and by their subordinates, ii is welcomed by them; for independent of party utilization, the average muni- cipal employee wants to make a rec- ] ord for efficiency. So far in this city
 we have been received in a spirit o1 cooperation, and friendliness. We
 expect to continue this relation, and finally leave behind us the results
 of our work in such form that it may be continued by your officials irres- pective of party. We have no fear that our system will be cast out after it is once installed, whatever may be
 the party in power. A system which is based upon the real needs of a city and upon common sense methods needs no coddling. for in any com munity there are enough non-parti- sans to prevent return to the old methods of conducting municipal af- fairs.''
 Following are the reports, and the supplimentary bills of MT. White, all |