The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-02-12
OuH CRY GOVERNMENT.

necessity for "A complete and
4 sweeping change In our city gov
eminent. both In form. substance and
control, II IL found IN the signed
statement of six members of the city
council. made public this morning and
which appears in this issue of the
Herald. |
Replying to charges Of "obttruc'
ton in carrying GA, his policies. |
which has been brouRh, against them
by the mayor and his friends. tho
councilmen assert that the mayo has
no policies of his own. n declare
directly and by clear inference shat
h" IL guided In his conduct OF city af-
fairs by political considerations and
influences which clearly have no
place. or should have none. In this
'ity's management.
The councilmen, u two-thirds ma
iority of the body. assert that they
have sought To- cooperate with the
mayor and that ne has refused to per-
NIT them Ia do 50. They declare that
every definite action taken In conneo
tiun with city affairs either has been
taken by the council. independent Of
the mayor. or by the mayor. through
the activity OF some outside political
influence. The statement is definite,
is addressed To the people of Albu-
qu"r1ue and deals with information
ia which the councilman signing II
assert the people are entitled. II
should be read carefully and thought
fully by every citizen.
The statement will leave two clear
and definite impressions in The public
mind. REGARDLESS of all conclusions
that may be drawn in opposing camps
Hs 10 the fixing OF responsible Tor
an administration that IL a flat and
miserable failure.
The first ~ these is hat this city.
% vigorous. young. clean, aggressive
western municipality. is running along
without a guiding hand and without
ANYTHING more than the battered form
oi q municipal government.
The second impression which viii
STICK is that the time mas come when
wc must eliminate partisan politics
o dictation and control from our
city affairs-if We ARE to have any
city affairs that we can refer TO with
ont the blush of shame.
The Herald believes tha, the six
members of IN, council making his
statement 10 the people have done
right IN making IT,. The neople are
entitled 90 the facts aud all the facts.
ana II tho council. or any member Of
u, has information in connection with
The present tangled state OF city sf-
fairs, 1t is ms duty to give II to The
people. The more Information we get
the more firmly We will he fxed In
fcr"d from an enormous and dnngcr-
GUS overdose Of politics" and that If
HE city IN To survive We mus, change
both physician and prescription.
The Herald does not believe tina
She council has "~obstruct.d' the
mayor IN carrying out any policies. +"
We do not believe the mayor has any
policies. II be has, II rs difficult TO
get any definite outline Of them. on
the other hand the one. n so far as
W" can see h only, charge tina can
u' fairly brought AGAINST the council
s That having Il majority. Il has not
municipal direction, regardless of a
municipal direction. regardless of a
mayor who. 10 il asserted would not
cooperate. Ana gains tins charge
.s Tho very important consideration
ihot under our present form of gov
eminent the council IL not an execu-
1.-Two body, nut a legislative body. that
90" mayor h. the executive head Of
'ho city and is paid a salary for .se-
cutting. That he council receives no
rlials nd goes outside is functions
Nh"p u undertakes to pe-form the
dItios - the executive.
W. know that our present city gov
eminent ls inefficient. More ana
more OF us are becoming convinced
that The theory rs wrong ana hat eff
tioicury anuot hc secured under the
present form, even ~ i bo freed from
the domination 81 political control.
The statement OF the council certainly
furnishes plenty OF food Tor thought
10 the men who pay the taxes of this
city and for this II for no other reason
II n "A ~commcndable statement.