The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-05-14
Pleaded for by T. F. Theme
of Fl. Wayne in an Ad-
dress Before the Local
Commercial Club.
CLUB FAVORS CITY
PAYING FOR LIGHTS
And Club Members Go on
Record as Opposed TO the
Erection of Proposed Arch
at Glen Miller.

The unanimous passage of a resolu-
ton denouncing the system now en-
ployed by the city government in not
paying for the lighting of the streets.
the address of T. Z. Theme. OF Fl
Wayne on The Business Form Of
City Government" the unanimous ex-
preston against the erection OF an
arch at the Twenty-fourth street en-
! trance of Glen Miller park. and re-
ports of committees arranging for the
Boosters trip tomorrow to advertise
the Richmond May Musical Festival.
featured the regular monthly meeting
OF the Commercial Club last evening
In introducing the speaker OF the
evening p. A. Reid declared that the
city is now in an era of prosperity and
that questions were arising each day
which the club is forced to meet and
TO overcome. He said that the question
of conducting a city along business
lines is being studied throughout the
country and that there was no better
man in the state to discuss this ques-
tion than Il. F. Theme, of Ft. Wayne.
I president of the Commercial Club OF
that city and author of the proposed
bill to be presented before the 1913
/ legislature asking for a change In
the form of city government in Indi-
ana.
II Need Common Sense.
Common sense should be applied
to city government" said Mr.. Theme,
in opening his remarks. by the plan
which ! propose. the city shall elect
its officials about the same way as
practiced by German cities. A board
of counselors shall be elected by the
people. who In turn elect an admins
ltratiye body and mayor The mayor
and the administrative body have the
power to fix the levy. The people can
recall the counselors. and the counsel
ors may recall the mayor.
Fifty years ago the city govern
ment was ninety-five per cent politics
and 5 per cent business. and now II is
getting to be vice versa. At that time
We had no fire or police departments,
no paving. sewers or lighting systems
There was comparatively little manu-
featuring
The city government now. we
might say. is divided into four divis-
ions. first, functions: second. organi-
zation; third. finances and fourth.
public policy. The public policy
means the will of the majority of the
people: finances. the taxes, licenses.
fees. etc; organization. the charter or
system Of government and functions.
the communication, transportation.
lighting, water works. etc. OF them all
functions is the most important. To ad-
. minister to the functions of city IL
. takes a thorough business man. The
important Offices of city have never
been recognized as trades or profess
sions but they should be. They have
been awarded by accident. favor. or by
, political tricks. We should exercise
, greater judgment in selecting our Of
ficers.
City Self Government
by the bill which will be presented
to the next General Assembly. IL pass
ed, the city will be given the right to
. install the counselors plan of which
. I speak or to remain under the present
, plan of government. AS IL is now the
city is crippled by laws which set out
! what il can do and what IL cannot do
, 1t ought to have more privileges.
Il would suggest that the CONNER
, cial Club of Richmond discuss the
charter. We would have a cleaner
, and better city IL We could institute
. the counselors plan"
. VIM. ID. Foulke declared. following
; the address of Mr. Theme, that the
, plan merits the highest appreciation
! iof all public spirited citizens. He as
= serted that the subject of freedom OF
, action TO any city is of the utmost i'm
: portance Mr.. Foulke mentioned the
4 Il city of Frankfort. Germany, which has
. this system and declared that the mu-
> nicipality owned all public utilities
: and made them all pay He said that
) the city should even have more rights
; than the states and that under the
. present laws of Indiana city is Grip
: pied
Discuss Street Lighting.
: p. A Reid opened the discussion on
: the question of the city not paying
: for the lighting of the streets and
of the club regarding this matter Mr.
Reid declared that IT IL most unfair
for the patrons of the Municipal Light
plant to maintain the street arc lights.
while non-patrons of the city plant
lpaid nothing whatever toward the
lighting of the streets
q The city should pay for the light
e ling of the streets out of the general
(Contfnued on Page Elght1