The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-03
Ex-Mayor Hunt on City Government

Ex-Mayor Hunt on City Government
HI. Hunt, former mayor of Cincinnati, hano-
ed number of surprises to the natives OF Indian
apolis in his address to the Bar Association of
that city last Wednesday. He actually told those
folks whose own mayor recently denounced COM
mission government, that the root of municipal
misrule lies in having wrong system of gov
eminent.
"Quit prosecuting bosses and eliminate OPP
portunities for graft. If all the bosses in Amer
lea were in penitentiaries for long terms, the
causes of our civic disorder would not be removed
nor would democratic form of government be
substituted for Dictatorship
Of course, Indianapolis people don't believe
that They still pin their hopes of better con-
ditions to the Jail and the workhouse!. If things
go wrong, it is because the officials crooked
and not because the system is crooked! The way
to cure the disease is to Jail the offending Off
c;al He's the fly in the ointment.
Indianapolis people may be long time COM
ing to understand the real facts about city gov
eminent, but ex-mayor Hunt gave them a few
things to think about meanwhile Note few of
them:
Use the Civil Service."-As things now are,
man is appointed usually because he belongs to
the ruling party and has been worker" The
Job is for him little "velvet" to reward faithful
services. Whether or no he is fitted for the
place doesn't matter.
eliminate national politics."-What connec-
ton there may be between removing garbage and
the national tariff or the Mexican question is
pretty difficult to discover, but the enemies of
commission government profess to know what
it is.
Decentralization of authority."-1t is easier to
catch one thief than dozen. The more author
ty is divided the difficult it is to find the
guilty man. BY making four or five response
BILE for the conduct Of affairs the public can al
ways keep it's eye on them. When forty or fifty
in control it is usually impossible to spot the
guilty of malfeasance.
'Lengthen term of office.'-We leave mar
in office barely long enough to enable him tc
learn something about his job. When he is able
to do his work efficiently, we kick him out This
is very much appreciated by the Interests
They are always on the job.
'Give salaries commensurate with duties."-
If the city bids for efficient men, it must be will
ing to pay much for them as do private corpor.
ations. If private corporations find it economy
to employ high-priced men, so will the city,
Employ municipal experts."-The admins
tration of public affairs requires in many cases
special training. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can't
do the work. The notion that practically any
man can fill public job is, as Hunt said, pure
fallacy.
Educate the public. IF man fails to look
after his own business he needn't expect that
someone else will look after it for him. AS long
as the people remain Indifferent to their own pub
lie interests, they have no room to growl when
those who do look after them pocket little now
and then to pay for the trouble
We will never have efficient city government
merely by scolding the men in office or by send
ing one now and then to Jail The only way to get
it is to put in the right system Mayor Hunt un.
derstands what that system u.s.