Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-04-16

Our Municipal Officers On q Nen-
Partisan Basis!s
To the Editor Of the EveaiHg Capital
In your issue OF Wednesday tApril
IA, 1921 in an editorial re the res0r-
facing OF West street was struck
by the following. tO-wit: An interest
ing phase OF this matter that it tends,
to show just what the Rotary Clul
means TO the community - Service
and action" II is refreshing
10 note that a force of this character
is growing up in the community.
Ii is indeed refreshing, il true. Bui
how much more refreshing 1t might
have been had the initiative in thif
and other matters been taken by our
duly elected city government
oh. politics. how long must we
suffer.
Being a resident and voter of An
napolis, il has been my unfortunate
experience, directly and indirectly, &c
approach members of the city govern
ment in a continually fruitless en-
deavor to wake them from their
lothargy into some small realization
OF their civic duties as guardians OF
the city's welfare. Always the same
result-politics. and then more poll
tics
Why must the city wait for the Navy
before providing itself with adequate
sanitary sewerage disposal? Why
must our sidewalks be daily en-
croached upon by dwellings and steps
and porches? Our business and ever
some residential streets at times lit
tered with packing boxes. fruit has
kets; our Market Space park be
CRASHES; cobble stones exist in the
center of the town while outlying
streets are nicely paved; new streets
made unsightly by telephone poles
and the like; residential districts dis
turbed and invaded by business
houses; holes in streets like King
George; where is the civic leadership
in the matter of removal of unsightly
fonces-publicity is q great reformer
here; and so on.
Have efforts been made to procure
through train service to Washington:
to apprehend automobile speeding
along the highways; TO reduce gas
and electricity rates; to eliminate
non flush toilets; rid the community
OF excess cats and dogs; to make DIFF
ferent water, gas, and electricity rates
for those who do not live in the city,
or do not pay city taxes; to increase
the width Of new streets in newly de-
veloped sections: TO derive revenue
from awnings, box stands, etc, on the
city streets or walks; to stir up in
terest in a fire-alarm system; to re-
place revenue lost on liquor licenses
by increased licenses on other amuse-
ment and resorts?
Do we advertise Annapolis through
automobile associations or books; do
outsiders know of Arundel-on-the-Ba
or of our nearby fishing or ducking
grounds?
Can any visitor make look (by
automobile) of Annapolis without
humping over rough streets?
No. gentlemen, = without disparag-
ing the most praiseworthy efforts of
the Rotarians (whom as well as the
kiwanis Club l have seen over the
greater part of North America) what
is needed in Annapolis is not Rotary
or any other club. but less politics and
more spirited City Fathers.
Why not elect our municipal Off
GERS on a non-partisan basis? If po-
litical parties are needed for Legis-
lature or Congressional purposes and
If their purposes are honest and above
board non-partisan municipal affairs
surely can do no harm.
Must this city live so years behind
the rest of these United States?
r. d. TISDALE.
Note:-Jpst as I write. most ex-
cellent circular signed by MIR. Hal
lam Claude has been given me. In
this circular Mr.. Claude pleads for a
non-partisan control OF our city gov
ernmcnt. l commend this document to
your earnest study.
r. d. T.
NJ. NJ uaII,,,, CIoudo Submits Article