The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1921-06-01
THE COMING ELECTION


the citv will adopt the commission manager form
of civic government There is an active movement
among many of our most thoughtful citizens TO /
work for the proposed change. The experience OF
other cities of the size of Bozeman, cities whose
finances were in like deplorable state has been
all in favor of the commission manager form.
Letters have been secured by many Bozeman
neople from officials in such places and these,
almost without exception, advocate the change.
If the examples of these other places can be taken
as applicable to Bozeman conditions there is no
argument against adopting the new form OF
government. '""
An innovation is always regarded with sus-
picion by many people, even unto ministers OF the
gospel regarded it as in league with the evil one
because railroad train was not mentioned IN
the bible While we do not think there are many
people in Bozeman who place this proposed change
in city government in the same category, still
there is a very pronounced feeling on the part of
a goodly number of citizens that the whole scheme
is nothing more or less than a plan to get the
city government in the hands of select circle,
to provide good lob for some home town man.
The facts are that nothing is further from
the case. Ex-Mayor Sweet and others who have
been thoroughly familiar with the state of the
city finances for some time and who have like
wise been instrumental in bringing this matter
to a vote were all the time looking for some way
out of the present financial difficulties into which
expenditures of the city have been greater thar
such conditions and were the city anything but
a public institution it would have been on the
rocks of financial destruction long ago. On the
other hand there are certain necessary expendit-
ures which must go on. No city can retrench too
far and still function. There is no available man.
ner of getting more revenue there is limit to the
retrenchment; consequently the only alternative
seems to be some method by means of which the
available funds will be made to go further And to
the minds of those thoroughly familiar with both
city government and city finances, the commission
manager form of government, with it centralized
authority, offers the only outlet.
But if those who are earnestly in favor of gthe
change, among whom can be numbered the
Courier, are expecting the matter to pass they
should go on record on two subjects. The ffrs
of these is that no local man be employed as ths
first city manager. The chamber of commerce
has already taken such a definite step and othe
organizations favor it. 1t has been stated tina
the citizens committee which will have charg
of the campaign will issue a statement to thi
effect. 1t is certain that the people would no
stand for a local man as the first city manage
and the sooner everyone understands this, tn
better it will be for the campaign. - -
The second matter whereof people are taIkin
is the matter of water meters. One stron
advocate for the city manager form, in settin
forth its advantages, unfortunately made tn
statement that if the city manager wanted wate
meters put in he could order it done. Possibl
he could, but there again is a proposition tbs
our people would entertain for moment. It
all right for water meters to be installed in tt
business houses hotels and other places whel
large amounts of water are used, but for anyor
to advocate their universal adoption in Bozenns
as a part of the campaign for the city manag
form would be to court defeat for the cause. TT
two have no connection whatever and no eli
manager would so disregard public sentiment
to try and force such an issue.
The city manager form may have its defect
it probably has, but it offers a possible chan
whereby Bozeman may get out of its prese
financial troubles. AS such it is worth tryn
If the people of the city don't like the new for
after giving it trial, they can always chan
back again. But if those who advocate the chan
now want the matter to pass, the sooner tn
go on record for an out of town man as manap
and opposing anything so arbitrary as the inst
lation OF water meters without the consent
the people, the smoother will be the electit
winds.