Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-11-27
N me BLUFF
ROGREsS
ROSPERITY
OUTLINES CIVIC PLANS

Rt Rev. Monsignor J. M. Lucey,
who Is always looking out for the best
Interests Of Pine Bluff, Jefferson |
ounty and Arkansas, and who was the
originator OF the recent conference
between committees representing var
ious COMMERCIAL bodies, the City Coun-
Gil, Trades Council, City Beautiful |
Club and the Clearing House Asso-
citation, In communication to the
Graphic outlines the plans Of the re-
Gently organized Civic Progressive
Association. He explains what should |
be- done to better the financial condi- |
ton Of Pine Bluff and what such an
Improvement would result in.
Like Mayor Bloom, who I is aiding
the City Beautiful Club in every way
possible, Monsignor Lucey believes
this an inopportune time for the la
dies to Spend $500 for survey, es-
pecially when the city IL in such bad
financial way, and when it would be
impossible for the city council to put
into effect any of the suggestions or
plans outlined by an expert from the
Bureau Of Municipal Research. He
says the city has no funds and no
bright prospects just now of securing
funds, other than which will naturally
come into the city treasury through
the usual revenue channels.
Monsignor Luceys communication
to the Graphic follows:
Editor GRAPHIC my address
last Tuesday night at the Chamber of
Commerce before the committees Sc
lected by the Young Mems Progress
sive League, I endeavored to make
plain that the movement inaugurated
Tor the betterment Of our city govern
ment was entirely distinct from any
other event of the times. The special
object Of our movement is to perfect
plan whereby the city government
may be given fifty per cent in crease
Of revenue with an quitable distribu-
ton Of the burden on all the residents
Of the city. This and this aline is the
problem which we have undertaken Is
solve.
The object of the City Beautiful
Club, as understand it, is to spend
money identifying the city and has
nothing directly to do with providing
financial support to the city govern
ment. As a matter of fact, when the
idea Of our association was made
known to a prominent member of the
City BEAUTIFUL Club it was declared to
be out of the scope of the Constitu-
tiona1 work Of the club. The City
Beautiful Club and the Civic Progress
sive Association are working on en-
tirely different lines which do not CO.
incide at any point. The former is to
spend money. the latter is to get
money.
There Is no objection to the City
Beautiful Club bringing an expert
here and spending the $500. which
they may have in their treasury, but
personally my opinion is that the ae-
zion is premature. The city will not
be able for year to appropriate one
dollar to aid them in putting in effect
any plan which the expert may sug-
gest. The city has no present money
and no prospective money. The mayor
and aldermen, with one exception, are
married men and their wives are sup
porting them. The one exception has
mother and she is supporting him.
The money for police and fire depart
ments is begged on the street by the
mayor and begging on the street ID
said to be forbiddn by the city law.
The city government which should
ID the head and front of all work for
The public welfare and be in q pc
||Stiton 10 inspire and direct the ac-
h ~ necessary p develop 9 city Of