Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-03-30
THE MUNICIPAL SITUATION.

THE UNICIPAL oIl OAIIoN
Next Tuesday the citizens of Bis
marck will choose their city commits
sion for the ensuing two years. with
the exception of two members VINO
hold over for the next biennial peri
cd, the personnel of the entire board
nav be changed by the results Of the
polling on that day. It is an import
ant matter and should be given the
gravest consideration by every voter
who is interested in the city's wei
fare
at ejsstsa0ts the commission form OF
{1Sff haiIent that will be all issue. The
people OF Bismarck generally seem to
be satisfied with the new way OF
handling the city's affairs and are
willing to allow it to remain in force.
1t is rather the results obtained dur
ing the past two years, along lines OF
economical and progressive leglsla-
IlOu ludl VIII NC oh " 49,
and the men who have been respon-
sible for that legislation.
Speaking broadly. the Tribune be-
lieves that the city's progress has
been satisfactory. That the affairs Of
the city have been economically adj
m%inistered is now also admitted. But
that this latter statement can be.
truthfully made at the present time
is due-as the Tribune believes-to
the determined efforts Of three mem
bers of the commission who have
striven persistently and consistently
in the face OF stubborn opposition
to thwart an e~ytravagant and prepos-
ferrous expenditure of the city's mon
eys and credit.
Reference is intended particularly
to the series of events preceding and
surrounding the final awarding of cor.
tracts for the construction Of a NUM-
cipal auditorium. and in favoring the
candidacy Of Mr.. A.,W. Lucas for the
office of president of the board Of city
commissioners, the Tribune firmly be-
lieves that it is supporting a citizen
who more than any other N man, is
responsible for saving the taxpayers
actual cash to the amount of at least
$50 100000 and possibly %$60,000.00.
From the first negotiation of the
$4,000 loan for building a municipal
auditorium, Mr.. Lucas has strenuous
ly insisted that the final cost of the
building must not exceed that amount
to any great extent. When, there,
fore, the first bids were opened and
the lowest was found to be $4,000 an
acute situation was at ono created
between those members of the com
mission who insisted on economy and
those others who were willing to mort.
gage the full credit and borrowing
power of the city for twenty years in
order to secure a single municipal i'm
provement in keeping with their own
ideas of personal grandeur. From the
bids received, based upon the plans
prepared by the St. Paul architects,
it is certain that the completed build.
ing would have cost well over $780,.
O00. The recent letting Of contracts
shows a difference of more than $780,.
600 saved to the city. This saving we
owe, beyond question, to Mr.. Lucas
and his associates. These associates
are not now candidates and it would
seem that common gratitude alone
should secure for Mr.. Lucas the sup
port of all citizens who have the vel.
fare of Bismarck at heart.
Citizens will recall the determined
efforts made by those members of the
board who favored the larger expendi-
ture to force their hobby through;
they will also recall the election at
which the people-by a vote of three
to one-disapproved Of the profigate
waste of money and credit; they will
also remember the final rejection Of
the st. Paul plans; the preparation
of new ones and the final letting of
the contracts, a few days ago, at such
satisfactory figures for the city's best
interests as to practically guarantee
the building complete in every detail,
with as large a seating capacity as
that offered by the st. Paul plans,
with fireproof construction and every
modern Improvement, at q price vel