The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-06
KEEPING CUT OF POLITICS.

through the demand made by the com
missfoners for the resignation of Daniel
T. Gerows auditor, and his statemen;
just prior to his retirement, show very
conclusfveiy that ii pays to have 4
business man disbursing the funds OF
a city.
The commissioners of Jacksonville
| based their request for the retiremen,
or Mr. Gerow on the ground that he
nad been too active in politics. which
| had resulted in unharmonious relations
between him and the other officials.
Mr.. Gerow' is republican.
However that may be. Jacksonville
Is capable~of managing it's own poi.ti-
| cal difficulties, But to the outsider
reading the report made by Mr..
Gerow, it would seem that he has done
that city great service, In having
saved it hundreds of thousands OF dol
lars in the administration of depart
ments and public utilities.
In retiring. Mr.. Gerow said that he
thanked the commissioners for having
given him the opportunity to make the
report, and declared that beyond the
credit that was his. the only others re-
sponsible entitled to credit Were the
worked with him, including the pur-
chasing department.
In his report he says:
Every member of this commission
knows of the financial affairs pertain
ing to the commission have been han
died by me, that they have purchased
goods on every requisition presented
without any inquiry as to whether the
funds were on hand or would be on
hand TO pay for same. They have left
everything entirely in my hands and 1
therefore say that having been given
the opportunity, I thank them for it.
Mr. Gerow's report, which was
lengthy. showed that he had been do
ing the work of three or four men and
through his work and management the
city had been saved $4,000 in salaries,
and total of sS2,3ss.59 in discounts,
blacksmith shop, property yard. cleri-
cal help, job cost and engineers build
ing.
In addition to this" he said I now
recall several other direct savings
amounting to practically $1,000
Before taking up his report Mr.. &C.
row emphasized that the city auditor
as stated in the charter is the guar
dian of the financial interests OF the
city.
BY doing the work of several men
and dispensing with unnecessary clerl-
cal help Mr.. Gerow pointed out that
the city had been saved in salaries
alone He then took up the various
showing what he had ac-
in each.
On July /, 1915, the report showed
there was a balance of SAG, 5S0.66 in the
city electric light fund. The balance
July 1. 1920, was $250.214.24. A total
of $40 900 had been transferred for the
first time to the sinking fund.
The waterworks had on hand $24,-
1878 on July 1, 1916, and owed prac-
tically half of 1t. The balance on July
/, 1920, was s27.449.31. after $4,000 had
been transferred to the sinking fund.
The storeroom was broke" Mr.. &C.
row said, in 1916. On July l, 1917, the
assets exceeded the liabilities by S4Z,-
DO9 81 and conducted the affairs OF
this account exactly on the same basis
that they had been conducted in pre-
vious years, except that ! reduced ex-
oenses and picked up the odd ends that
should have been previously taken
care off,
When Mr.. Gerow took charge he said
he payrolls showed the cost OF oper-
ating the property yard was $40 a day.
Today" he said, the property yard IS
costing us less than $4,000 a year"
This he explained has been net saw
ng to the tax payers of Jacksonville OF
It least s12 900 per year"
Live accounts in the electric light
he explained. had grown
rom 1886 to 13,o52. an increase OF
g 1-3 per cent There were 9,oS1 live
accounts in the water department In
e1e as compared with 11.037 at pres
mt. a gain of IL ZIP per cent.
The indebtedness of the city in 1915
vas $40, 900. all of which has been
aid except $40, 900 not yet due. Judg-
nents amounting to s104,000 have been
aid. Mr.. Gerow told the commission
hat on January I, 1920. the city had
efficient money to take care of every
,udgetarv amount and that every cent
for 1920 would be velvet
The condition of the sinking fund
vas given as:
Balance July 1. 1920 .......S sl'zoo'4o
invested in u. S. government
bonds 3fo,ooo.oo
Do =, w g stanns 874.00
nVeSIeu . /
,aying certificates ......... Su'ooo.oo
TotaI ........ S492, loe.4V
,If the above indicates business
nd not a political administration
rr. Gerow said, 81 am entitled TO the
redit. for I have kept politics OUT Oh
very department over which ! nave
resided. l have never enquired when
npIoying a clerk whether he was
opulist. Socialist, a Prohibitionist OF
democrat. and 1 would not nave
,red had he been a Republican, Tor
NV opinion the affairs of ascity the
ze of Jacksonville are too important
, be dragged into politics"
The affairs of any city are TOO I'M
ortant to be dragged into national
olitics. and the farther from poiiticai
Iachinery and the nearer to business ,
ADMINISTRATION any city gets, the better
,r it.
Certainly the report made by MI c
crow would seem to indicate that the S
nportant thing in city administrator s
not How do you Vote? but How Wei :