Bisbee daily review., 1918-03-15
Our City Affairs

Good for the Citizens Non-Partison
leaguel 1t has come out squarely for
stronger, simpler, straighter system of city
government 1t would do away with the
professional politician and office seeker pie
counter and make the matter of governing
Bisbce what it was intended that every
CITY government should be when the fathers
of this republic laid the foundations of at
fairs in revolutionary days, which is to say,
a business proposition based upon freedom
and efficiency.
The basis and strength, yea, the cause OF
all republics, is the desire of the people. the
producers, the doors, to be governed by
themselves. This aim is defeated unless
the average citizen, the shoPkeeper, the
clerk the workman, the doctor, lawyer,
artisan, is called to. office directly from his
bench, counter or desk. The man who is
a good workman, a successful shopkeeper,
a skilled doctor. or keen lawyers is the man
best fitted to administer his city affairs
The man who works hard in his own be-
half has acquired habits of industry suffi-
Gent to carry him through term of city
office with credit He has pride in himself
and his record that spurs him on. 1t is a
wise people that select the workers and the
doors to handle their affairs.
That is why the non-partisan idea has
come to be almost general in the cities and
towns of the United States. The profes-
sional politician and office holder has killed
the goose that laid the golden egg of an
easy and fat job. Graft and incompetency
have come to be proverbial in the affairs
of the cities of this nation Hence the grad
ual elimination of party tickets and the
coming of Citizens and 'lndepedent
tickets the country over.
However, there are no charges of graft
in Bisbee; no particular scandal IN connec-
ton with our city affairs. But, neverthe-
less, the city is sadly in need of forceful,
progressive, eff lie n t administration.
Strong, successful, representative men
should be drafted from their business and
their work to do something for their COM
munity.
Improvements should be made that are
permanent Most of our city streets are
joke. They have to- be improved and re-
paired three or four times year. More
money is spent every few years for these
Improvements than permanent streets
would cost Bisbee needs sidewalks; needs
a parking place for autos Needs more
water for yards Needs more street lights.
Needs cheaper utilities. Needs stricter reg
ulations as regards half dozen things. Ev-
cry citizen who has the good of the city at
heart wishes it to be made a more attractive
place in which to live. Wonders have al
ready been accomplished in this canyon;
but there are wonders yet to do to make it
all that it can and should be made as a
modern city.
This Non-Partisan league has started
right 1t has called safe and strong men
to the front and promulgated platform
that promises much for the district Jacob
Erickson, called to run again for mayor,
has already shown himself possessed Of the
two imperative attributes for good mayor,
he has been honest and he has been courag-
eous. Plain spoken, seeking not to curry
public favor, simple and direct in all his
public acts. he is just the man to carry on
the work planned by the Non-Partisan
league. And the candidates for council
drafted to serve with him are men with rec
ords behind them Every one of them will
have to sacrifice his personal affairs and
business to serve on the council, and these
are the kind of men needed right now for
the city executive body.
This is a rich district A great volume
Of business ebbs and flows in the canyon