The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-15

81 90 back TO the day of
3Z &% Boss Tweed. who per
{&& NJ laps was entitled to-
H&A&&M he crown. as king OF
E&3&S&f&<S yrafters for most OF
he dishonesty in pub
lie life of recent years can be charged
to this feature of city government.
Ii matters not where We look, Pitts
burg. Detroit, Philadelphia. Chicago.
San Francisco. and our neighboring
city, Cincinnati. with its chief from
Dead Mans Corner" George II. Cox.
or coming nearer home. Gary, Indiana.
with its Knots. and 50 on ad infinitum.
Are Two View Points.
There are two angles from which to
view the unnecessary burden such
contracts infiict upon the people in
general. one is competence and delib-
crate dishonesty combined: the other,
incompetence which permits every ad-
vantage being taken by INSCRIPTIONS
bidders for such privileges as the con-
tract affords, and perhaps | might add.
a third. by naming incompetence and
dishonesty both.
The feature we have 10 deal with in
Richmond. is that of incompetence. No
one can truthfully state that Mayor,
Zimmerman has ever shown an apti-
tude in graphing with the problems
that involves hundred of thousands OF
dollars of the peoples money. No bet
ter evidence of that fact can be pro-
duced than by the mayors utter help
lessness in handling the contract OF
the Richmond City Water Works.
That was a proposition which aimed
at securing the perpetual right to use
our streets without let, or say so, from
hn nftx ehaN
proposed to increase the cost of water
TO the consumers; a contract that pro-
posed to compel the city to pay for
the water used in our public places.
which was heretofore free; and to
foist upon the people a rate charge for
water based upon a valuation twice
the amount of its actual value.
| want TO ask in all candor, is there
a man, reasonably intelligent. at least
sufficiently so, to presume to be the
mayor of city like Richmond, who
would have hesitated one moment
what to do with a proposition of that
character?
II Was Almost Passed.
That proposal came dangerously
near being passed.
Happily ii has been taken out of the
hands OF the local authorities and will,
in due time, be so adjusted as to bring
home to the people of Richmond some
realization of what they have escaped
in getting out from under such a fia-
grant attempt to mulct the people of
thousands upon thousands of dollars
during the life of the franchise.
The attitude assumed by Mayor
Zimmerman on that question alone.
ougt to defeat him. and defeat him
/ bod he -
heard from.
What is said of the water contract
is also to be applied to the gas con-
tract that was presented by Attorney
Beasley. of the Light, Heat and Power
company. which proposed a rate of 90
cents thousand cubic feet OF gas.
Assumed JubiIant Attitude.
! Mayor Zimmerman assumed a very
| Jubilant attitude at the prospect OF a
! ten cent reduction per 1000 feet of
gas. but entirely overlooked that
/ clause of the contract which proposed
minimum of so cents a month, which
would more than counteract the re-
duction, and as a whole, under the
minimum clause the consumers would
| have actually paid more for their gas
! than under the old rates.
/ Who defeated that proposition? Was
! il the mayor?
/ No. indeed Public sentiment from
our civic organizations, protesting
against its acceptance.
| Let me repeat TO you. Mr. Fellow
/ Citizen, l am not opposing Mayor Zim-
! merman's reelection through personal
feelings. but when | think what II Is
costing US to maintain our city gov
ernment. and look back over the past
? md h. dfG--I Il g,-.
what excuse could | offer myself for
sitting back quietly and not lift a
pencil in an effort to save a future
repetition of egregrious blunders az
has been committed during the past
four years.
If the principle OF direct taxation
was in force. do you know what the
cost of our city government would
mean to you2
Would Make Difference.
II you had to take the cash out Of
your pocket and 90 to the treasurer's
office and pay prorata instead Of indi-
/ rectly, as you now do. you would see
to il that such men were elected as
would use that money economically.
! Have you any idea how much you
are paying? Do you realize that il
/ costs every person in the city of Rich
mond $500 a year TO maintain our city
government
| How would you like II Mr.. Shop
Man, you say. with a family OF three.
! FIVE with yourself and wife, having to
walk up and pay $4,000 year to run
the city,
That is Just the amount we are pay
/ ing IL the cost was equally distributed,
every man, woman and child While
We do not realize it. as part OF IL
I goes as rent and other parts In gro
ceries. meat, coal, shoes and every
thing that enters into the necessaries
of life, bears an added burden TO cover