The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-04-04
MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO
BE HELD TUESDAY, MAY Is
Elizabeth City Can Have Sensible City Manager
Form Of Government If 1t Will Bestir Itself And
Elect an Honest Board of Aldermen

ion will be held on the second Tuesday
after the first Monday in May; which,
being interpreted, means Tuesday, May
13, 1919. The Board of Aldermen will
call the election at their meet
ing next Monday night.
1t has been customary in Elizabeth
City to hold a primary preceding the
election. The primary is called by the
various Ward chairnen and, custo
marily 80 days notice is given in ad-
vance of the primary election. 1t has
been intimated that the primary may
be dispensed with this year. It is point
ed out that it is a rather useless ex-
pense, since the town can do in one
days election with one days election
machinery, what it would do in both
primary and regular election.
But the failure to hold a primary
would make this difference: it would
mean a free for all race for office in the
election. The purpose Of the primary
is to sift down the number of candi-
dates for office. No primary, no sitting
down.
Elizabeth City will elect a board-of
eight aldermen in the election on May
13. Each ward elects two aldermen.
This Board of Aldermen will take
office on the first Monday in June, 1919,
and, Immediately after organization,
will name a Mayor, a City Manager,
Chief of Police, a City Auditor, City
Tax Collector, a Fire Department,
Chief and other appointive offices.
The voters of the city have no voice
! in the election of any officers except
Aldermen. It is therefor all import
! ant for the voter to exercise great
| deal of caution and commonsense in
choosing his aldermen. In this election
personal friendship and good fellow
ship should be laid aside and each
voter should pick the best man in his
i ward capable of conducting a $4,000
business.
Elizabeth City is a big business like
corporation the cost Of operation of
which amounts to about $4,000 a year.
One good business man, capable OF
running a big business like the Dare
Lumber Co. or the Elizabeth City Hos
iery Mills, or the Elizabeth City Ship
Yard, could run this town on busi-
r ness like basis and >saEe tIEeetown a.
good many dollars in the run of year.
obtained legislative authority in 1915
to adopt the City Manager Plan of
l government, a plan that has proven
great success where tried.
But the politicians in Elizabeth City
don't like the City Manager plan and
) they have made joke of the Office of
City Manager. Instead of hiring
capable manager worth a salary Of $2,-
500 or $4,000 a year, the politicians have
} put a brick-layer in the job at 1000
: a year and divested him of all author
ity. Mr.. Bill Jones, City Manager Of
Elizabeth City, has no authority to do
anything except obey orders. He is a
good and honorable citizen, but abso-
lutely inexperienced in city administra-
ton and wouldn't know lesson in
political economy from an advertise
ment for Liberty Loan.
Elizabeth City can have the City
! Manager plan Of government just as
y Norfolk and other wide-awake cities
have it, if it will be sensible and elect
an honest, broadminded. capable, non
political board of aldermen. To do this
it is necessary to defeat every profes-
sional politician who aspires to alder
manic honors; it is necessary also tt
find uot who holds mortgage on every
other fellow who comes out for alder.
- man.
Elizabeth City is badly Handicapped
by bunglesome, wasteful and incom
petent methods of administration; b!
an inadequate and inexpert police de
partment; by bad streets. dirty streets
. neglected streets. Elizabeth City haI
a $4,000 market house on it's hand
:, that is failure because the politician
;. wish it to be a failure. Whiskey an
substitutes for whiskey are sold il
vast quantities in the city. Women O
ill fame operate with little molesta
- ton. Every department of the city
"A activities is subject to criticism.
-. will be interesting to see what tn
- citizens will do about it in the comm
election. This newspaper would hk
i.i to see the citizens get out and cleo
a set of aldermen who have never be
al fore held office, chosen for this elect
| ion because of their established integ
rity and business ability; board G
aldermen who would not lie awak
IL nights scheming how to run the town
:: a board of aldermen that would go out
- side Elizabeth City and employ
trained city manager to handle the ad
7r ministration of this city's problems fo
I :: the next two years.