Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-03-25
HOUSE CltA.l...
IS INTENTION ur
STEEN AS MAYOR
Says Not an Efficient
Department in City
Affairs
NOMINEE IS OUTsPOKEN
Criticises Drones Who
Refuse to Help City
Prosper

"There is department of the city
that is efficient. They all need
cleaning out from top to bottom" de-
clared DR.. A. M. Steen last night in
an impassioned speech, accepting the
democratic nomination for mayor.
DR.. Stems was the only name sub
mitted to the convention, and he was
nominated by acclamation, the secre-
tary of the meeting casting a unani-
nous vote for him. He was then in
vited to come into the convention. He
did so, and in a twenty minute speech
delivered himself of panegyric that
was interesting, not to say exciting.
The nominee thanked the conven-
tion for the trust imposed in him and
expressed the hope that those who
had imposed this trust would never
have cause to regret it. He said that
a mistaken impression had prevailed
that the mayor of Palatka had no
power. He has all the power he needs,
he declared, and if the council will
stand squarely back of him he can
accomplish great things for the city
DIR. Steen said that he would not
encroach one iota on the authority
of the council and would ask that the
council not attempt to usurp any Of
his prerogatives. "The trouble has
been," said DR.. Steen, "that too many
of the leading business men of the
city preferred not to render public
service, but are content to remain al
home and let the other fellow do it
and then criticise him for what he
does. As result of this we are in a
woeful state of affairs. There is not
department in the city that is eff
cient.
eve have city attorney, but what
does he do? He doesn't earn his salt
He is so lazy that he waits until a
few hours before council meets to
prepare an opinion, then hurriedly
makes it up and usually when he
brings it in it has to be changed at
the next meeting of council. We have
been paying him his salary regular
Ily, yet we have to employ another
attorney to do his work, collect the
delinquent taxes. And another thing
what is the impression that a strang-
er when he comes into our city, es-
pecially on Sunday? When the street
sweepers start down the street they
have to turn out and leave great
spaces unswept because the main
street of the town is being used as
public garage. This will stop if
am elected mayor. Also on Sunday
mornings you can drive along Lemon
street and see old empty ice cream
containers and other rubbish sitting
on the edge of the sidewalks. What
an impression this leaves on the pub
lie!
81 tell you, ladies and gentlemen
Palatka has the greatest opportuni-
ties of any city in the state, and yet
we are at standstill because our cit
liens will not awake to opportunities
and exert themselves to take advan-
tage Of opportunity. We need a
great concrete bridge across the riv-
er, and l say if the county will not
build it that Palatka get together and
build, if it is only four spans at the
time. When the people see these
four spans built they will not rest
until the remainder is constructed.
81 also believe we should exert
every effort to have better roads
constructed to the Alachua county
line, and to Green Cove Springs. No
one can compute the immense volume
of business that .,win tacdSg to this
city through the completion of such
roads,"
At the conclusion of his address
DIR. Steen was loudly applauded by
some and was congratulated on his
nomination. The election will be held
the third NShdf in April. n i
l 81 -