The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-06-23
City Administration Is
Severely Criticized by
Citizens in q Meeting
Good Government League
Will be Continued and
VIII Vote Next Monday
Night on Whether to Start
Petitions for a Recall
Election.

| Severe criticism Of the city COM
| missioners and the manner in which
| they have conducted the affairs of
| the city, d determination to continue
| the Good Government league as an
| organization and decision to vote
next Monday night or whether petit
/ tions for a recall election shall be cir
| culated featured the called meeting
/ Of the Good Government advocates at
! the court house last night. The at
| tendance was larger than at any time
! since the organization Of the league
| and when the matter came up as to
| the future of the league il was de-
| cided unanimously to continue the or
| ganizatiOn.
Prof. Armstrong. the president in
opening the meeting said its purpose
in organization had been to work for
the best interests of the city and en-
deaVor to secure good government for
Pensacola. and in this connection he
j said Il was traVcsty to speak Of
good government and the present city
administration in the same breath.
Dr., Benn said that sincere work is
needed in Pensacola to bring about
better state of affairs and that the ad-
voCates Of Good Government should
not become discouraged for he had
seen just such conditions existing i'm
other cities and in each instance, with
proper work, the city had finally pros
pered
w. c. Diffenderfer declared that the
Good Government league is needed
more now than ever before in the his
tory of the city and that the Organi-
Zation should be continued.
J. 0. Walker spoke of the repre-
sentative G2thering of business men
and favored continuing the organiza-
h. he
unanimous vote that the Good Gov
ernment league continue in existence.
DISCUSS RECALL.
The members took up a discussion
OF the issues now before the people
and J. .. Walker said that if the
league 4, year ago had one reason for
circulating recall petitions that it now
has dozen good issues on which to
fight.
At this Juncturc Abe Daniels said
that the most important issue now
before the people is getting rid of TIE
three commissioners and he moved
that three separate petitions, one for
each commissioner, be drawn up and
placed m circulation. and that the
league proceed to secure q lawyer to
draw up these petitions so that they
would be in the proper legal form.
c. c. KeHser in seCOnding the mo-
ton Of Mr.. Daniels. said that he
thought the time had come to get to
work on recall, as the crooks as
well as decent people had become
convinced the three commissioners are
unable to properly handle the business
of the city. He declared that the city
administration is too busy safeguard
ing the interests of the liquor and
gambling interests to attend to busi-
ness and that one OF the big liquor
men had recently declared that one
certain police official must go because
Il. /, T,-r
a bout midnight and had found 1t
filed with customers.
Mr.. Kayser referred to the recent
inVesti gaCiOn of sthe police department
and his denunciation of the fire and
police commissioner in this Connec-
DEFERRED UNTIL MONDAY.
J. Q. Walker declared that condi-
tions are ripe for the recall issue.
but he preferred that the matter be
left open until next Monday night,
and amended the motion of Mr.. DAN
iels TO postpone a vote on the matter
until that date in order that the pub
lie might be notified Of the intention
of the league and as many business
men and citizens as might desire
could % present and participate in the
meeting. Mr. Walker then reCapitu-
lated some of the alleged shortcom-
ings of the city commissioners as fol-
lows:
Loss OF a large amount Of city
money through lack of business abil-
ity.
thorough decentralization of police
department.
Failure TO properly advertise the
city bonds.
Lack of business efficiency.
Shadow on the title to office Of com /
Failure to regulate public utilities
in their rates on gas and electric |
lights and telephones
Failure to carry out the most i'm |
portant Of all the new city charter !
that of giving publicity TO the /
proceedings.
Mr. Walkers amendment to defer a /
vote. on the recall matter was then /
put and unanimously carried.
motion To hold the next meeting |
in the rity hall instead Of the court |
house was put and lost by a close /
vote afrcr which the league ad- |
jOuTned.