The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-04-19

ana maQe every man suspicious o
the motives Of his neighbor, is feare
by many citizens who have been try
ing to advance the interest of tn
town, upbuild its industries and ere
ate harmony among the citizens. TIL
situation as it now appears is wei
pictured by l.. F. Parsons in the fol
lowing communication:
To the Editor:
At a recent meeting of the chambe.
OF commerce in talking on the neet
OF unity and action and purpose fol
the purpose of the uppuilding O.
Moscow, Rev. MacCaughey suggested
that Moscow could we'll afford tt
adopt the words of a parrot, "Pul
IKE hell, or sink" as a slogan. From
the stories held and the discussions
had upon the streets it would appeal
that a considerable number of oul
people have distorted the slogan as
suggested by Rev. MacCaughey and
have adopted, "Kick like hell" as their
motto. l am not SO pessimistic as to
believe that the people of our city
are adopting this motto purposely
but we are unconsciously drifting into
an attitude of mind leading to the
practice of knocking, kicking, COM
planning and criticising, attributing to
organizations and individuals selfish
and interior motives in any and all
public activities.
The epidemic of the flu is now be-
ing followed by an epidemic of "Im-
aginitis." This disease may be de-
fined as one in which the mind sees
things with a distorted vision and
the lips put into words these visions
as facts. Persons afflicted with this
disease see our ministers as ward
politicians, our public spirited citi-
zen as political crooks, our chamber
of comerce as an organized body for
the purpose of robbing the people,
our public officers as tools of some
individual or interest. They accuse
their neighbors and fellow townsmen
of being INSCRIPTIONS and unworthy
of public trust. That this disease is
quite prevalent in Moscow is appar-
ent in the conversations heard wher-
ever a group of individuals may
gather. Deregatory remarks are
spread in reference to individuals and
organizations. One mar is a city
boss, another is a b%olsheviki, one in
dividual is endeavoring to put over
something on the people to procure a
job, another group is trying to dom
mate the city election for the pur-
pose of obtaining a financial advant-
age from the city, while still another
is e~ndeavoring to obtain a public Of
flee that he may get advantages for
outside interest. These stories and
remarks are circulated by individ-
uals without investigation, considera-
ton or analysis as to their truth.
A short time g it was suggested
that Moscow adopt the city manager
plan OF government. 1t met with
the hearty approval of those that I'M
derstood what it meant. 1t was taken
up by the chamber of and
an endeavor made to have a discus
sion thereof and if it met with the
approval Of the people, to petition
the council to put the same into eff
feet. Immediately "imaginatis" show
ed it's prevalence in the community
and this innocent little proposal was
seen as a hydra-headed monster born
for the purpose of throwing out of
service a certain individual with a
six thousand dollar job, a device for
criticism and condemnation of the
men who have given of their time
and their energy in serving the city
as mayor and councilmen. A con-
spiracy entered into by the chamber
of m and the public spirited
citizens to put something over to the
detriment of the people as a whole.
The epidemic of "imaginatis" with
it's consequent circulation of lies and
ERRONEOUS statements has caused the
public to become confused in refer
ence to what the city manager plan
is and means to the community.
In simple words all that the propo-
sition consists Of is the adoption by
the city of that plan of handling the
community business that has been
efficient in conducting private
business; the plan used by the in
mercantile establishment,
banks, our manufacturing plants
transacting their business in an
manner and at the lowest
possible cost.
Under our present plan of city
government we elect a mayor and a
council to conduct the business of our
asking them to give their time
and energy without compensation and
their personal affairs to at
end to the business of the city. We
ask them to make sacrifices Of their
Individual interest for u personal
gain and for this service we give
but abuse, complaint and
ana CnaC IN Sucn a way CnaC
t makes it difficult to get the men
accept the nomination for our city
To overcome this difficulty in city
government the commission form and
he city manager plan were inaugu-
'ated, both of these being for the
of getting away from the
dea of asking for public services
Without compensation. The commits
ion form of government provides for
everal commissioners with a salary
0 handle the various departments of
he city business. This had proved
unsuccessful to some extent, owing
o the lack Of coordination of the
everal departments. The city man
ge plan provides for the co-ordina-
and the handling of the city's
u~siness as a whole. 1t provides that
he city council shall sit as a board
f directors and determine the policies
nat shall be pursued; to fix the city :
udget and handle the finances of
ne city. When the policy is deter NJ