El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-04-28
TAXPAYERS MOVE
HITS GRAF TIERS
That's Why Corrupt Poll
ticians and Contractors OPP
post It, Says James.

reduce the burden Of taxation. They
Will do much If they accomplish the re-
tardation OF the rapid growth OF taxes
they viii do more still II, by the
lures, they can make funds available
for the pressing needs OF expansion with
which every city is confronted
What IL Done.
These bureaus never promise 20
show how taxes can be reduced by
means Of a survey or by the instala-
ton OF any new systems. 1t does
promise to show how tax increase can
To attempt large reductions OF taxes IN
this country Is to attempt the IN
possible The situation might as we'll
be faced first as last
People Demand Much
For many years people have been
learning how 10 live better and nov
TO live longer. In almost every field
OF government activity they are de-
handing more and better service.
Public food inspection, dairy IN
spectiOn, bacteria tests OF milk. the
many inspections and tests incident to
contagious diseases dental clinics for
school children, school nursing. play
ground supervision. special service by
police, fire prevention by fire fighters
ana scores OF other kinds Of public
service which we now demand as a
matter OF right, were almost unhearu
Of not many years ago. More and
better service tends TO increass the
cost of government and that means
more revenue must be paid
Tho Work Here.
In whatever FL Paso may undertake
to do in this field it must be under
stood at the outset that with certain
persons and classes Of persons who
exist in every community the work
VIII not be popular. Il viii not be
popular with the professional politi-
clan who thrives upon inetficiency and
waste in government. 1t viii not be
L. ffn~-1 - HIff
contractor who gets favors TO which
he is not entitled in the way Of public
contracts.
over a period OF years Il the work
OF fearless analysis and fearless pub
licity is carried on, or If the work is
done honestly and with a real apprecia-
ton OF the problems TO be solved, mar
velous results can be obtained II Is
q far cry from the purely political
government Of New York under Tam
many Hall OF I5 years ago 10 the fear
less and straightforward government
Of the city under John PurTOy Mitchell
OF the present day can anyone imag-
inc Tammany Hall inserting an adver-
tisement not only in all the dailies OF
New York but IN all the principle
dailies Of the west for a $4,000 man 70
take charge Of one OF the city's great
est Departmental That was what mayor
Mitchell did in the fall of 1916.
Actual Accomplishment.
The New York bureau has actually
reduced the total of appropriations 10
departments under the control OF the
mayor. Through their suggestions
these departments are now crying
from . 20 30 percent more work and
doing IL more effectively on the smaller
sums appropriated than the same de-
partments We're able TO operate on five
years ago.
Even more concrete have been the
results secured in Chicago. One OF the
most unfortunate tendencies in city
government IN late years had been an
attempt TO overcome the political actiV-
ity OF the old government by establish
ing each separate activity such as
schools and parks and other bodies
under heads elected directly by the
people and separated from the general
city government The Chicago bureau
pointed out how inefficient this sys-
TEN was and how much money u was
wasting and IN the face Of the neces-
sity Of abOlishIug q lot Of political jobs
the legislature took the first step in
consolidating these local governments
by placing all The parks OF the city
under one management instead Of the
SIX or more bodies which controlled
them in 1915. saving 100000 annually"
Other similar savings were cited and
he asserted that the bureau has saved
100000 a year n the cost OF carrying
on the offices o. the circuit courts in
said. 10 one proposed salary steal in
the municipal court which resulted IN
q saving OF $4,000 2 year.
The Dayton Work.
In many ways the most interesting
bureau of the United States is that Of
Dayton, nc asserted. Dayton was the
first city OF any size in the country 20
adopt the nov popular CITY manager
plan Following the adoption Of the
city manager plan the budgets were cut
by $4,000 for the purpose Of putting
the city financially upon its feet. ne
asserted and in 1915 the bureau assisted
in taking S-o0,609 off the departmental
budget estimates.
The speaker told Of bureaus oper-