The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1916-06-03

eminent was adopted by this city
nearly four years ago, by vote
Of the people Of this CITY. Since
then we have been trying the new
form for the past three years in q
practical way. 1t seems that the
practical test has not made
friends of all those who were OPP
posed TO il in tue first instance;
neither has the new form, we are
sorry to admit, been able to hold
all the friends IL started with
three years ago.
| One Of the grounds of com.
plant against the Commission
Form Is that IL is "tOo expensive"
When the new charter was adopt
ed New Iberia WAS ridlog the
crest Of her great wave of pros
perity. Foresight was not givaE
to us all 10 such degree to read
the signs Of the times and to
know the conditions which would
beset the affairs Of this country.
We we're not privileged TO foresee
the Influence that the Mexican
troubles would have upon the
trade Of the South. We trusted
the new Democratic national ad
ministratlon would be guided by
it's platform pledges and could
not fOresee the wreck and bank
ruptcy which followed Democratic
rule IN these few years. 1t Is hut
proper to say, that after three
years Of lost time and millions OF
invested money, even the remain.
ing Democrats seemed to be
ashamed of their experiment at
free trade on sugar and are now
willing, by the grace Of the PEG
pie, never to do 1t again il they
are given another lease Of life for
four years. The European war
has affected us, and sorely. |
While the Democratic free trade
has considerably more than halved
the value of all invested capital
In this section and woefully reduc.
ed the earning power of both iDdi.
vlduals and corporations, the in.
flueDce Of the European war has
SO increased the prices of every
thing we are accustomed to hav-
ing and cannot produce, that we
have not the means for more than
one fourth OF what our tastes die
tate.
The Charter reads:-
32.-"Each Of said Trus
tees shall receive salary of
One Hundred and Fifty /.
$3.50 0O) Dollars per month,
payable monthly"
When paragraph 81 of our
,harter was written. we we're pass.
ng through q period Of develop
nent and general good times.
We had seen the assessments Of
his city climb from one million to
nearly two and q half millions in
J periodic but little more than a
decade. At that time we were
hardly prepared to face q condi 9
ion which should show q reduc {
ion Of total assessment. Gould i
he trainers Of the Commission &
,harter have foreseen coming r
vents they would have been tusti {
lied ~ so changing that para
'rsph that the salaries Of the a
commissioners would autOmatical =
? be lowered by . decrease of the j,
owns total assessment. .
The ''shalP' in that paragraph p
b0uId be sent to the present Leg .
stature aud so amended as to b
lake it s'may", and by the add. n
Oh OF further verbeage make 1t b
lear that this city administra. 7
on's economy should begin at q
ONE with the administrators. vi
The present city administrators, X
esides being the highest paid city g
Meals that this place has ever 81
ljoyed, have demonstrated their u
cry delicate consideration Of the e
Il payers by loading the city ~
it'll $4,000 Of bonds during y
leir term Of Office This lncre sse al
the clty's bonded indebted nese ID
the greatest ever made in a
DGle sdmiDistration heretofore a.
accentusted by the n
tvs declining revenues. ae
Could the city administrator p
we worked more effectually to ~
70 end of disgusting the larger -
= payers with our experiment in !. ~
Dmmission Government ~
A number of other amendments :,
9 being prepared for consldera -
,n BY the present Legislature. =
ne OF these will be On effort TO
'rmonise the regulations of the vi
nitary sewerage board. tel