The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-25
SACRIFICED ALL
THE CITY CROWD
FACES OVERTHROW
Corporations Ready to Desert
= HenChmen to Save Public
0WnerShip-USuaI Reward
for BETRAYAL.

One of the amazing features of the
ilght against the amendment to the
city charter providing for city man
ager, Is the suggestion that a part Of
the opposition, at least. would be pla-
Gated by striking out the clause giving
the people the right to own and operate
the public utilities.
This is in line with the past perform
ances of the corporate interests which
have as a part of their policy the pro-
gram of using politicians and office
holders for their advantage and after
destroying their influence with the peo-
pie and using them to serve selfish
purpose cast them aside with the same
abandon that they throw away worn
out garment.
The familiar episode Of the struggle
of the people of Memphis to get pos
session of lighting plant is merely
single example in a long list Of ma
chinations, but it is too recent for the
people to forget or to fail to correctly
interpret the interest the utilities are
manifesting in the present city admin
istration.
Receiver for City Threatened.
1t is recalled that a bill was passed
by the legislature authorizing the peo'
, pie to vote on the question Of a lighting
plant. The people were given an OPP
portunity to vote on the question and
they voted to own plant. The Off
cials in office could not be stopped, but
when Ashcroft succeeded to the mayor
atty he was visited by a distinguished
delegation that forbade him taking any
steps to carry out the expressed wish
sof the people as registered at the polls
on penalty of throwing the city into
the hands of a receiver and having it
declared bankrupt and insolvent.
Several well-known lawyers were en-
ployed at the delectabe task Of franz
ing bill to save the lighting company
for the interlooking crowd or running
the city. Further developments were
prevented when Ashcroft capitulated.
The present city administration be-
2, gan much the same way They wrote
into their platform section in the fol-
lowing language.
t'We unreserVedIy pledge ourselves to
The city manauer form Of government
ms proposed by the citizens committees
and agree to ENACT and support Ieelsla-
ton to that end"
Pledge Is Broken.
The pledge was repudiated when the
corporate interests showed the admin
istration what a splendid opportunity
there was for some fine picking during
the present term and how easy it would
be under the present system to re-elect
them to office. Instrumentalities and
agencies that had never won a contest
before the people convinced the admin
istration that it would be fine stroke
to desert their friends and denounce
them, The mayor fell into the trap and
other members of the commission be-
gan to 'yes, yes and instead Of max
ing themselves solid they all hit the
toboggan slide together.
The question the people are asking
An now is: IF the city administration
was induced to violate promise by a
pledge Of support from the interests,
will they have any comeback II the in
terests likewise violate theiE pledge and
refuse to support them when the show
down comes?"
II the corporate interests keep their
pledge it will at least be more COM
mendable than the policy pursued by
the administration.
Legislators Pledged.
The members of the legislative dele
CATION likewise were pledged to the
passage OF the bill giving the city a
manager. Only two have been reached
so far as it can be definitely learned.
These are Hanover and Galella, men,
bers OF the house. In the face OF
promises made by inference or other
(Continued on Page 10, Column 1)