Semi-weekly herald., 1912-04-15

Now, there is something in what ne is
why he should be given particular at
tention. The fact is, the members
who compose the charter convention
should be level-headed men who will,
not become excited and listen to the :
whims of Tom, Dick and Harry In
the first place the taxpayers are in
terested in having a set of competent
men elected who will serve the city
without pay. Under the provisions of
the ordinance each member is entitled
to $3.50 per day and the commission
ers can put in sixty days. This alone
would cost between $4,000 and $4,000.
According to a list published in The
Herald some weeks ago some eighty
good citizens offered to donate their
services, and it is generally believed
they will do so, but under the law
no pledge can be exacted from anv
one to serve free. If the twenty-sne
members should pledge themselves to
serve free the courts would construe
thC PiNbSC ao 10 SECURE votes
and their election would be annulled.
But, as per the statement of Mr..
Main the other night, if the right kind
of public-spirited citizens are elect
ed, there is no reason why they should
not follow the precedent set by Pue-
bio. The same conditions confronted
the people as confront Durango, the
ordinance creating the commission
providing for so much per day. Upon
being elected the twenty-one men met
and passed resolution, signed by
each one, pledging themselves to serve
free and upon the completion of their
labors each one signed a waiver of
any charge against the city. If city
the size of Pueblo sets the example
why not Durango follow suit. We
firn1ly believe this will be the case
with the men placed in nomination by
the Charter league. Care should be
exercised along these lines. And
there is little time to consider the
qualifications of men for the place.
Nominations are to be made Monday
evening. A committee is at work go
ing over the tax and poll books Sc
curing a list of those eligible. To be
eligible one must have been a resi-
dent of the city for at least five years
and taxpayer. The names secured
by the committee should be published
in the papers not later than tomor-
row-Saturday. 1t will hardly do to
e. it blindfolded. By publishing the
list of eligibles the members of tho
Charter league can be going over the
names and considering their qualifi
cations. There can be no star-cham.
bel methods and win. BY Monday
right there will be several hundred
signers to the charter commission
government league and no doubt most
Of them will attend the meeting and
Zach and every one will have a voice
in naming the men to be voted for.
While great care should be exercised
in naming men who will vote for and
support commission government
charter, at the same time too narrow
views will not win. Many people may
not know that the framers<
can formulate any kind of govd(
ment. They can recommend the pres
ent system, but it is to get away from
the present system the people voted
a year ago and no backward step
should be taken. Let the executive
committee see that list of eligibles
are given the public not later than
Saturday evening so two days can be
devoted to framing up twenty-one .
men. 1t might also be well for the
full list of signers of the charter
commission government league be
published at the same time.
We noticed an article on the coun-
ty poor farm in The Herald the other
day. In the past considerable has
been said and published regarding the
experiment. Some held that it would
prove an expensive luxury, others that
the change from boarding the county
poor should be made. When a ma
jority Of the county commissioners,
Messrs. Scouton and Barr, voted for
the erection of a suitable building on
the county poor farm they were round
ly abused in certain quarters, all on
the ground of the excess cost of look
ing after the poor. Being of an in
vestigating disposition we took the
trouble the other day OF going over
the records. We found that for the
quarter ending March 81, 1911, being
for the months of January, February
and March, the cost of supporting the
poor in this county was $2,092.9o.
For the same period of 1912, being for
the months of January, February aul
March, the cost of caring for the aamc
number of patients at the county poor
farm was SS24.50, a saving to the
county under the Scouton-Barr poi
icy of $1,26 ,268.40-quite tidy saving.
At the same ratio the saving will
amount to something like $4,5G0 for
the year. Suppose a little credit be
given where credit is due.