The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-07-21
BUSINESS FOR POLITICS

Much favorable comment has been heard on
the editorial suggestion of he Evening elegram
that Hubert c. Petteway nominated for mayor
of Lakeland will develop those characteristics
and capabilities that form the basis of successful
city management During the entire period of
the recent municipal campaign scores of men and
women expressed a wish that Lakeland could and
would make up its mind to adopt sraightout
commisson-managcr form of government he
principal objection to The present form is that five
men are asked to serve the public and to operate
this big corporation known the city of Lakeland
without having their services properly recognized.
There would be just as much sense in going out
on the highways and byways and rounding up
FIVE men to run any of the banks or the ice plant
any other big business enterprise in Lakeland
as there is in saying to Mr.. Petteway Mr.. Broad
field, Mr.. Roland, Mr. Scitz and MIR. Bowycr
that they must operate the citys business for
term CT years. The remuneration oftentimes is
even minus thanks A careful analysis CT the stu
alton reveals the fact that through long years OF
chronic habit and false thinking, men have come
10 upon WORKINGS Oh CIVIC government DIS
one form Of petty politics. 1t would be nice TO
be able to say that because Of the advent Of wom-
suffrage civic government has been raised to
higher plane. But before the women were al
lowed to vote, men in several cities in the United
States and Canada realized how foolish ii was to
continue an old habit that was sapping the life
out of their home administration and they deter
mined to overthrow the old order of things, sub
stituting business for politics. Hundreds of cities
are now being operated economically and efficiently
under the commission manager form and in sin
gle instance that can be recalled, has any munich
pality gone back to the archaic councilmanic FORM
Lakeland is certainly entitled to the best to be had
in civic management and the good women of the
city are keenly Interested and alert in being anxious
to bring this to pass.
1t would not be at all surprising if some definite
step were soon taken in this direction and surely
there is no dearh of excellent material as evidenced
in the wise choice made of the new board of FIVE
commissions. But Lakeland could get along just
as well with three commissioners, elected from the
city at large, thus abolishing ward lines. The
real basis Of city government is just, and fair
recognition of the interests of all the city, not this
section or that, and by the wipng out of the ward
system there is no favoritism shown but rather
there is created city-wide program of improve
ment that knows no wards or imaginary boundary
lines in the common purpose of advancing the
general welfare of the entire community.
While it has been customary in establishing the
manager form to go out of town for manager,
there is no hard and fast rule that would compel
this procedure to be followed The theory is iha!
it is best to secure the services CT trained men.
That is good so far as it goes but there is no
reason why Lakeland cannot train her own man
ager. The suggestion is made that in Mr. Petite
way there may be The very best of managerial