The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-23
! Standing as sharp challenge TO the
widns opd ,oo ola ,.o,,an,;o,

Standing as sharp challenge TO the
widespread and age-old assumption
tnat municipal government is inherent
~ and flagrantly inefficient is the
TACT that more and more are the towns
and cities of the United States com
ing to adopt the commission ager
plan of conducting public busines.
1t would be manifestly unfair to
many capable, earnest and hard w ork
ing public servants, however, to even
assume that they are not producing
results. Some are. yet they are handi-
capped by the fact that the old polite
al makeshifts of public administra-
tlon prevent them from even initiating
much less adopting, the effective busi-
ness methods followed by successful
private enterprises.
If low taxes and the economical per
formance of routine functions were
the only objectives, then honest gov
ernment. by the adoption of definite
business plans. could easily achieve
the desired results.
Too many municipalities, however
not only suffer heavily because of the
handicap of form, but also from the
dictations of political bosses and the
selfishness of so-called big business
and corporate interests.
Public Cheated.
These undesirable results are every
where too we'll known to call for def
| mite and extensive elaboration. Par
tiSan or corporate dictation, however,
in nominating and electing officials
has been followed at the expense of
the people and at the expense of the
public service. In word. the tax
payers, who as matter of fact are
ci mr. he CT in
ernmental enterprise, have been con-
tinually deprived of their just voice in
the selection of executives, and in
multituduous instances they have not
secured 100 cents worth of service
for each tax dollar expended.
Because of this expensive overhead
-comprehended in the election of pol
iticians and those with an axe to grind.
rather than forward-looking and effic
lent persons, for public office, and the
significant favoritism too frequently
emphasizing the appointment of sub
ordinates and the letting of public con-
tracts, to say nothing whatever of
graft or corruption-the people are
rapidly coming to demand popular con-
| troll of the machinery of government
Turn to New Plan.
In their efforts to correct misgov
ernment. therefore, they are rapidly
turning to the forms through which
they can establish and maintain direct
and intelligent contact between those
who govern and the governed.
So the action of adopting a new
approved and effective plan is mere
/ ly the logical development of a demo,
cratic system of government, based
upon the quickened conscience of the
people and the laudable desire of the
voters to think and act sanely upon
all public questions which affect them
/ The new idea in government, there
| fore, besides giving the people a full
voice in important public affairs-their
own aftairs-and in cffecting more
widespread and benificent community
results, strips from elective officials
the pretense of eXaltation above the
intelligence Of the power which ere.
ateS them.
The people of this city. assuming
that they want the municipality TO
grow and increase in Importance, and
assuming that they hope to see the
accomplishment Of the greotest coed
for the greatest number, should thor
oughly understand and unhesitatingly
support the new order of things. To
do less would be to admit lack of
! local patriotism and certainly brand
us as not being the fOrWard-lOohing
| forWard-acting kind.