The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-21
ASKS FOR CITY
 PLAN

gro the Honorable Common Coun- cil of the City of Bridgeport, Gen tlemen:
 "A little more than six years ago pose of looking into the various forms of city government and mak- ing recommendations to your honor able body relative to such changes as would work for greater efficiency and better cooperation in all the departments of the city.
 Since that time the question of commission form of government ana the city manager plan has been con- s.dered and the consensus of opinion today I believe, in the city of Bridge port, is for the so-ca1led city manager plan. Personally I have always fa- vored this system. It works for greater efficiency in that great deal of time is saved from the time. that matters are first under consideration until tHey reach their full compile union of all the departments of our city a great deal of money would be saved. It is the only system which parallels the so-called business basis of industrial and commercial enter prises. There is no reason why the development and welfare of our city should be jeopardized by partisan interested in but one thing, and that is, the welfare of our city, and it should not make any difference, and I believe in reality 1t does not to the majority of our people, as to which of the parties carries on the work.
 ''As I have said on former occa- sions, the splendid condition of Bridgeport today is due entirely to change of administration during the past nine years. Had such changes occurred there would naturally have been cessation of the progressive <lt ltxy:1 1n6 haf nT1 those who are holding, and those who desire to hold office. rather than by real partisan affiliations. In any community there can be but one po1i- cy, as it can only affect that commun- ity, namely, that which is best for the community. Nationally of course we are divided into parties on account of policies relating to our internal af- fairs as we'll as those of international can be advanced by those who are in for a continuity of their tenure, is that which they have accomplished, criticise and decry the efforts of those who are in. It necessarily follows that when those who are out succeed in getting in they must, in the very down and destroy the betterments brought about by the former while in power. This will inevitably lead to wastcfu1ness, and a backing and filling process which will carry us mo- where and will cause a general unset tied and unsatisfactory condition.
 With the adoption of the city manager plan there will be con- tinuity of policy which is bound to be for the best interests of the city and hence for the individual. The feature which attracts others to our borders more than any other is the fact that conditions are stable munic- ipa1wise; that there is a fixed and definite and well defined policy which all the world may know, and that we are united as community for the purpose of bettering the conditions of the city and of the individual. A party label will not insure this con- dition for the reason that it cannot be assured of continuous tenure of office.
 "Our. present charter and that of every other municipality in the state, l provokes ;partisanship in local mat 1 ters, when, as a matter of fact, we 1 should be devoid of any artificial di- 1 vision. We should be neither bi- united on common ground of public 1 veal. So long as we have partisan ship we must be, in the very nature l of things, more or less concerned
 with patronage. Patronage is al l right to a certain extent, but wher those who arss-out seeking to obtain 1 control and are threatening the sta
 bility of our institutions, through the offer of change in patronage, and ir | most cases added instances, then wt are, if the party is in a position tt
 carry out it's prediction promises
 thrust into the hands of those wht
 are seeking power for that purpose of pToffering such patronage. his is bound to create an unnecessary eX- pense and is very apt to upset the ex- isting efficiency.
 t'All of this may be done away with and our institutions made secure | against thei nroads of partisanshiI by eliminating placing at the head o1 the city government one individua, who will guide and direct all the af- fairs of our city. You will then have a business basis which is impossible 1 of attainment under any other form | Your authority will be centralized your responsibility fixed. your af
 manner, and your desire absolutel!
 fulfilled, or there will be an imme
 diate change and one placed in con trol who will bring about such con
 ditions
 1T offer this suggestion to you a
 this time for your serious considera
 ton. A charter has been drafted b1
 a special committee appointed few
 years ago which in my opinion, cover
 the ground and the needs growing
 out of such form of government yer!
 thoroughly. I recommend this re
 port to your careful consideration
 with the suggestion that steps be nov l taken toward the adoption of such charter for our city. Respectfully submitted this 20tl day of December 1920"
 STEEL WAGES SLUMP.