The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1919-02-13
Partisan Politics Should be Done
Awau With insOur City Charter

it is high time for the taxpayers and
voters of our city to come to their
senses and abolish this Getty Mana
ger" farce and go back to safe and
sound principles of economic city gov
ernment.
s Why not revise the city charter
right while about it by providing for al
School Commission as already sug-
gested and by also providing that the
Mayor shall be the active head Of the
city government and have four cOun-
cilmen or commissioners, one from
each ward with absolutely no vestige
of partisan politics in any part of our
municipal affairs, to serve with him.
Let the Mayor divide his councllmen
into four commissioners each having
general oversight Of his department
somewhat as follows: A Commls-
sioner of Finances and Revenue-a
watch dog-so to speak, Of our city
finances: a Commissioner of Public
Safety having supervision of the
health, fire and police departments;
q Commissioner of Public Utilities,
having supervision over the water
and light departments and Com
miseiopar Of Streets, Parks and Pub
lie Buildings, having supervision over
the rublic highways, ETC.. Of our city !;
the Mayor to devote at least one-nalf
of his time daily to the duties OF MS
office and to be Maid fair c7mpen-
sation: the cOuncilmen or cOmm1ss1Oi~
ers to meet with the MayOr in regu-
lar session, say every Monday after
noon for two hours or more. IN order
| to keep in close touch with the actlv1-
| ties of their several departments and
| to properly instruct the active head
of the citv,-the Mayor in such mat
ters as may be necessary.
! AS at present provided there IS III
tie hope of attracting or inducing the
! strongest and best business men ol
| our CITY to stand for election or &c
| be bothered with the duties ana re
snonsihi1ities of the city's affairs ane
until partisan politics IS aDsoluteIS
buried and the people agree to sup
| mort the hest men available and these
men are given some opportunity t'
| work out improveme and saving
in their Individual departments ther'
can he no Improvement in our presen
unsatisfactory financial condition.
Rnt the people are willing and no
} on7v willing but eager for an oppo1
tunity to help right these evils an
i save our city from future disaster o
amending our charter somewhat
suggested in this article. This ca
r he done if there is no delay IN arran$
: ino for q. special election to be hei
} before the primary election IN Apr1
submit the foregoing as "a Drle
outline Of what, in my opinion
great many, and I think I am safe
. saving a large majority Of our c1tlze
shin earnestly desire and without an
: thought or desire to suggest, critics
u or start a controversy, [ have thl
u EXPRESSED myself having absolutely L
I motives in so doing other than TO {
Il NV city a real service by soundlI
this timely note of warning. .=z<
- In conclusion permit me to say tn
= I wish again to reiterate what | nay
! stated on numerous occasions recen
q lv and that is that under no c1rcu1
= stances would [ become cand1da
" for any municipal office in the gift
:. the people at this time or IN the ne
= future. [ simply stand for the be
+. five men for school commlss1one
Il and the best five men to handle O
q municipal affairs that can be 1nduc'
II to accept these offices and | am etc
h nally opposed to partisan politics
h our municipal and school affairs and
II am just as strongly opposed to t.
r. "City Manager farce as it exists wi
IS Ius
h. Respectfully,
at FRED N. TATE.
at Feb II, 1919.