The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-10-31
LAX PURCHASING
METHODS Do IT
REPUBLICANS RESPONSIBLE
FOR FINANCIAL MIDDLE
Budget System taboo" in Mind OF
Man Who Would Do as He Pleases
Treasury Empty

in the country is yelplig uiiuo.
head Of steam, baying forth the cry,
CONSERVANCY!
1t is easy to see at this late date
that millions Of dollars could have
been saved to the tax payers in the
feeding and equipping Of our soldier
boys in the late war had there been
conservancy-a budget method OF IL
nancing and providing. Certain OF the
larger governments of the Old World
have put the budget method to the
test and found great savings and en-
larged efficiency.
The Republican party has been IN
control of the affairs OF National
Government almost continuously for
fifty years. Many men of wisdom had
called attention to the greater etfic-
iency of the new over the old and OBJ
solete system that had been built up
by the Republicans. Special attention
had been called to this matter in gen
eral, and several of the concrete ex-
amples from Europe where the ex-
pertinent had been profitable to the
people had been pointed out in par
ticular. But to no purpose; and when
the Wilson administration took the
helm of government it found the old
mediaevial system that the Republi-
cans had built up in vogue, deeply in
trenched, and with strong organlza-
ton working overtime in an effort to
hold it in power and to thwart any
effort on the part of the Democrats
to make changes for the better.
But the world war has shown the
whole world in general, and America
in particular, what saving could
have been effected but for the ina
bility of the Democratic party to have
made sweeping change in financial
methods of the National Government;
and this fact has been under much
discussion Of late, largely to the dis
credit of Republican methods and in
terests. So today there is much dis
cussion of the budget system, it's pos
sibilities of elimination of waste and
theft, greater possibility for retrench-
ment where a municipality, State or
Nation has gone beyond it's means,
why not few suggestions as to how
q civic organization may "get it's feet"
again, so to speak. And through all
this discussion past lack of efficiency
keeps crowding through the shell Of
deceit into the broad day light, and
thousands of voters are wondering
how there was any possibility for the
lax methods of the past, and why peo-
pie would stand so long for the weak
Republican system that has squan-
dered so many millions OF good tax
money in recent years.
It is, too, noticeable fact that our
small cities which have been unmind-
full of a budget system, or something
resembling a budget system, have
drifted long ways from efficiency. 1t
is quite noticeable, too, that where
one finds municipality without funds
foundering among its many unpaid
current bills, that it cannot meet with
funds as yet unappropriated, there is
little of efficiency and nothing re-
sembling budget system. Take our
own city of Medina as an example.
and what do we find? Not only that
there are no funds, bills and obliga-
tions floating about seeking liquida-
ton, but that the laxness in acquiring
these obligations is criminal in the
extreme. Not only is there no sys-
tenn in vogue, but no responsibility
no authority, and in consequence there
can be no economy. AS an example:
Not long since two bills came into
Council for considerable quantity OF
gasoline. Both were dated the same
day. Neither bill was 0. KID by the
purchaser, no one could be found to
say he was positive he had made the
purchase. why two such purchases or
the same day, and why so great {
need? No one could answer tht
question, so the committee said, "Well
we suppose it's all right" and they 0
KID the transaction. In fact there
q was little else the committee coult
do, unless some one wished to insin
uate that one or both merchants wa
dishonest.
But there was a movement set OF
foot to see that similar uncertain
purchases were not made in the fu
ture? There was not. Discussion
was had of the laxness, not in tina
case alone but in scores of similar in
stances; but no safeguards were lai
down, and no effort made to close tn
door against occurrences.
Readers of The Sentinel may be ask
ing themselves the question, eva
there collision in the matter of thi
gasoline purchase; were there wv
bills sent in and but one purchas
and delivery made ?" 1t is hard I
! believe that any Medina merchal
would be a party to such a trio
But the honesty Of the man viii
whom you are dealing can not |
made sufficient reason why "Tor
Dick and Harry" may run out az
spend the city's money without a
thority, and with no check as to wi
may authorize and purchase supple
or who may decide the necessity
such purchase.
In the lax system of spending pu
lie moneys in Medina for many de
ades we find the reason for the ban
rupt condition in which the city fin
itself at this time. And, the city ha
ing been under Re, Republican COVER
ment for 10, these many moons,
whom else can one lay the blame I
present financial stringency in t
handling Of its affairs? This m
prove an unpalatable dose for t
Tnanipulatofs TO swallow, and not
few wry faces may be made as the
responsible for present conditions re
the prescription, but who else can
ii reason ask to take this bitter mi
ieine7
When q brood u turkeys proves