The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-18

The city administration in its fight
against the city manager plan, con-
tanning stringent provisions for the reg
ulation OF utilities and the right OF the
people to own and operate them II the
people so desire, has Joined forces with
the corporation interests that propose
70 take away from the people all rights
ana confer upon a Nashville commission
lie utilities" ..
The opposition Of the city admins
tration to the city manager plan ID
personal Monteverde, Miller and Ma
son are desirous Of perpetuating them
selves in office. They also want to
continue to enjoy the unrestricted priv
ileges possible under the present schar-
ter. and which w0lld not be possible
under the proposed amendment
Under the city manager plan 1t would
not be possible for the city adminis-
tration to compromise front foot assess
the owner Of small h0fne-,is squeezed
for the last penny of his assessment
The present city administration ls the
first IN the history of the city to COM
promise front foot assessments with
certain favored property owners. Under
the city manager plan every citizen and
every property OWNER. whether he be
large or small, would pay alike. I.
Family Biography.
Under the city manager plan Pete
Monteverde would not, be permitted to
escape payment OF privilege taxes for
p year, and untii someone made an
Investigation e, see II he had PAID,
while other cleaning establishments
were forced TO pay promptly, S,
Under The city manager plan Pete
Monteverde would not have the hot
dog" and taInale privilege with a cut
rate. operating on. the streets, while
q crippled railroad man and poor
woman, operating on their premises are
hailed into police court and obliged
to pay the full amount as has been
Gone by the present administration.
Lawrence Monteverde might not be
continued as public defender" at a
salary Of 81, 400 a year nor enjoy special
privileges In obtaining clients In the
police court.
Wesley Monteverde would not be per-
mitted to hold sl,500 a year job with
4 the city unless he stood a civil service
examination and made a better grade
than any other contestant for the same
place.
Under the civil service rules proposed
in the charter amendment no person
could be employed for longer period
than so days without having passed a
civil service examination and he would
not be eligible for reappointmert. Sec
tion 5S of the proposed amendmentNh has
a very significant bearing upon this
subject. II reads as follows:
4 ObIlCI OkN1 0C1 NACGs U.H.
Section 5S. The civil service board
shall keep a complete roster of all per-
sons in the service or the city and
certify to the proper official the name
and compensation Of each person erh-
pioyed, also every change occurring in
every office or employment and no
treasurer or public disDursing officer
shall pay and no controller or other
auditing officer shall authorize the pay
ment of any salary or compensation to
any person holding Il position In the
classified service, unless the pay roll
or account for such salary or compen-
eation shall bear the certificate Of the
board that the person named therein
\ has been appointed or employed and
performing services in accordance
\ 18th the provisions of this act and the
rules hereby authorized. Any sums paid
contrary to the provisions Of this sec
ton may be recovered from any officer
paying or authorizing the payment
thereof and. from the sureties o. his
official bond"
And while the opposition Of the bro
ken pledge crowd at the city hall to the
city manager bill is personal and based
upon advantages such as offices and
the perqusites, which they are taking
full advantage of, the advocacy of the
corporations for the public utilities bill,
vesting all authority over rates and
service with board in Nashville, Is
even more pernicious.
The public utilities bill gives the util-
ities commission power over all public
utilities" and general supervision and
regulation Of, jurisdiction and. control
over all public utilities. and also over
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