The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-31


NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 80 -
Memphis is represented in Nash
willie today by Mayor Frank L. Mon
teverde, Alfred Mason, commission
er of finance, and c. w. Miller, vice
mayor and commissioner of fire
and police. They are here, it is
said, to take steps 10 thwart GER
ing the welfare Of the Bluff City,
particularly that which proposes to
convert the government of that
town from a commission to "busi-
ness manager" form Of govern
ment.
The visitors called at the state
capitol this morning to renew ac-
quaintances and later called upon
Judge A. II. Roberts, who is soon to
become governor of Tennessee.
While at the capitol, it was
learned from some of them that
the unit rule adopted some time ago
by the Shelby county delegation to
the general assembly had been alb
rogated or would be abrogated, and
that, at any rate it would not gov
ern either in the organization Of the
> legislature or on any question that
may come up during the. session.
CThe News Scimitar, 6 o'clock edi-
tion, Monday EVENING"
In the event of the absence from
the city, or of the death, resigna-
tion or removal of the mayor, or
of his inability to act, the commits
sioner of fire and police shall have
and exercise all the power and du-
ties of the mayor, and, in the
event of the absence of the mayor
from any meeting of the board, such
commissioner shall preside in his
place, and II shall not be lawful for
either the mayor or the commits
sionor OF fire and police to absent
hiknself from the city while the
other Is absent Or disabled from at
tending. to the duties Of his office,
- ~ tSection "a, page 1913 Of Hughey's
Digest of the Laws, Ordinances and
Contracts of the City of Memphis,
1907 ~
Mayor Monteyerde and Commissioner
Miller and Mason pulled what the
thought was the neatest little polite;
trick of the season Monday, when the
announced, or had it announced, at til
city hall that the mayor was at Rose
mark shooting quail. Nobody made an
inquiry about Miller or Mason, as the
were not missed, and If they had bee
there is no doubt that the inquir
would have been answered with decel
tion.
Commissioner Quinn would not 4
quite so far in his explanation of II
mayors absence as some of the Otl
ers. He contented himself with sayin
Il heard the mayor say he was goir
bird hunting, and he asked me to site
around"
As revealed by The News Scimitar
Nashville Correspondent, the mayor WI
not hunting birds at Rosemark. I
was at Nashville trying to lay the foul
dation for a fight against the city mai
ager plan of government for Memphi
which he pledged himself to support b
fore the August election in this lal
guage; 1--WE pledge ourselves unreser
edly to the city manager plan OF go
eminent as proposed by the busine
mems committee and agree to ena
No man in Memphis was more su
prised than r. r. Ellis, chairman
the citizens committee, when he W
notified that the mayor had taken t
fight to Nashville. Mr. Ellis was rel
ing upon the mayors promise made
open meeting Saturday to wait until t
city manager bill was drawn, go over
and decide If he would support 1t. Th
was the mayors statement, but neal
everyone knew that he was hedgiT
After thinking the matter over a VIII
Monday, Mr. Ellis finally decided tn
if the mayor would not be bound by
solemn platform pledge that migf
little reliance could be placed in a
statement he might make.
Citizens Surprised.
Mr.. Ellis said he was especially {
| Tended for the reason that after I
mayor had given evidence of hostil
to the measure in the open meeting,
spite of his. platform pledge, he a
| preached MIR. Ellis after the meeti
and assured him that he was not {
posed to the bill The next thing \
Ellis heard from the mayor, after
ceiving his voluntary promise not
oppose the measure, was that the ma
4 or was in Nashville fighting it.
| The mayors breach of faith with
citizens committee no doubt will hs
the effect of causing the committee
have nothing more to do with him
| amendment to the city charter prov
| ing for the city manager plan will
prepared by the committees own cot
sci, and not by attorneys for the str
car company or gas and electric co
pany, and will be presented to
legislative delegation The commit
in all probability henCeforth will conf
its negotiations exclusively to the lee
lative delegation in spite of the atter
of the mayor to leave the impress
| that he controls the delegation.