Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-22
Messages From
the People

Editor Of The Chieftain.
The statement of Mr.. McHarg In a
recent issue of the Chieftain says that
the expense of special election ap-
proximately $4,000 would be saved under
the City Managers plan the first
month. II this can be done and con-
tinued proportionately 1t would be hard
to conceive why all should not be in
favor of the change. but Mr.. McHarg
is respectfully requested to specifically
show just how this can be done.
A TAX PAYER.
Editor Chieftain:
am breaking life long rule in writ
Ing for publication my views and opin-
Ions with regard to public matters. and
l am only doing 80 now because I am
on tho eve of leaving Colorado on an
extended trip and cannot, therefore. be
present to participate in determining
whether the city shall adopt the pro-
posed new charter or not.
1 know very little about the manager
form OF government, and l have not
had the time to analyze the PROPOSE
ton as it is now being presented to our
city. have talked with some who are
sure that the proposed plan would be
q good thing for our city, and on tho
other hand 1 have talked with others
who are skeptical in that respect. The
general consensus of experience and
opinion seems to be that the efficiency
of any form of government we may
have depends entirely upon the man
elected. The principal argument In
favor of change in our form of gov
ernment that I have heard Ia that
something like one hundred cities of
our country have adopted tho plan and
are satisfied with it. I do not question
the truthfulneas of this statement,
but on tho other hand think II Is a
bad policy to change from ono form of
government to another unless we are
convinced ms ~ A. l~,,
that the proposed change will really
benefit the city Our present form OF
government in my own opinion. and In
the opinion Of many 1 have conversed
with. has been much better than our
former government under the alder
man plan.
II Is easy to discuss the question Of
efficiency. and II Ia easier for us to
find fault II we arc entirely advised as
to what our representatives in the
city offices are doing, The trouble
with us is that the business men have
not the time, and do not take the
trouble to investigate an they should
sNfter all II depends entirely on the
man or men at the helm of our city
afNairs. and this will obtain whether
wet retain our present form Of govern
NETT or go to the city manager form
of government
believe that II as citizens Of Pueblo
we would give more time. and attention
20 o"r city at1airS ana AcQuAInt our
selves with the circumstances and con-
dltions under which our city Officials
are acting. and advise ourselves as 10
the difficulties with which they have 10
contend. We would be less inclined to
flnd fault. 1t may he tina. the proposed
change WIN prove beneficial to tho city.
On the other hand the matter Is so mo-
mentous To us that I feel that wc
should carefully consider tho propo-
siuon and fully advise ourselves in re-
gard thereto before adopting tho
change. The ehar~> In form alone will
not guarantee efficiency. This has
becn demonstrated by tho various
changes that have been made in tho
charter form of government In Denver.
Denver has but recently voted down
some additional changes to the charter
because they have grown heartily tired
OF going from one form OF government
To another.
MY only purpose of writing this on
the eve OF my departure ia to ask tho
citizens of Pueblo TO consider very
carefully what benefits Pueblo viii |
derive from tho proposed change, and
not he swerved into adopting some |
thing new simply because 1, IL pro-
posed. II they make up their minds !
that the change is Unnecessary.
ASRIfRY WHITE