The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-03-14
THE NEXT Is CITY POLITICS

hS RSOPsC A0sS NV SSSA'~A o. s~NN
legislature off their chest than they
are called upon to take on city poll
tics. The great cost of government
is right at home. The real expensive
things in government are county,
municipality and schools. Any great
reduction in cost must be made by
those in charge of our local affairs.
1t would seem that those things which
are at home would soon be reformed
once the people decided upon REFORM
alton. As matter of fact we know
of no one who is able to point out
specific place for the practice of eco
nomy in the government with which
we are in closest touch and with
which we are, or ought to be, the most
familiar. We know of hundreds of
statesmen who could run the federal
government as it should be run; who
are familiar with the affairs of our
state and can put their finger on the
exact spot where efficiency could be
promoted and economy practised at
one and the same time. Spot did we
say! why there are among us hun
dreds who are familiar with as many
spots in state government. Perhaps
the reason for this is chat the people
generally pay more attention to state
affairs than they do to local affairs.
Or it may be that because municipal
government has always been an end
less expense and so long as it is
bearable, they expect nothing else. As
matter of fact the average man is
very little interested in the conduct
of the city government, except spas
medically.
The city election will be held in
April, and for a week or two people
will talk over the different candidates.
They will take more or less interes st
in the local situation, even going so
far as to study the platform pledges
The election will remind them tina,
they have the privilege of choosing
their public servants. At this time
they should exercise their best judg.
ment. but in all probability they will
have little opportunity of doing so
There may be one and there may b,
two tickets in the field. If two, Their,
will be two colorless, indefinite plat
forms. No specific policy of govern
ment will be presented.
The Tribune would like to see two
tickets placed in the field. One pledg
ed to continue municipal government
as It is conducted today. The other
pledged to the city manager idea il
some form or other. Under thos,
conditions the people could intelli
gently express themselves. Wher,
both tickets simply promise clean
efficient and economical government
the voter has no chance of expressin,
himself. The candidates on both tic
kets will be about equal in ability
honesty and courage. 1t will simpl,
be a question of which man YOU Xix
best personally In all the years W
know of no ticket ever having bee,
presented to the people of Caldwell
which was not composed of worth
men: capable men in their line; br
we have known of poor administra
tons. At the present time the person
mel of the administration is as hip
in every respect as can be found i
The city. The officers have given tn
affairs of the city their time and al
tention in measure exceeded by few
If any. administrations. They hay
been moved by the best intention
They have worked to as good a
advantage as the system will permi
But the taxes are too high and ther
is inefficiency somewhere. The new
columns of this issue of The Tribun
disclose bad state of affairs in IL
water department. As the peopl
come in contact with the water d.
partment every month information