The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-03-17

poraIlonS carry on big business in :
der the supervision OF one eXperienc-
ed manager. The CITY manager plan
had been adopted with the same idea,
and in a great many cities had work
ed out successfully. M. Palmer reeG
several letters from cities where the
plan had beer adopted. The major.
ity OF the letters stated that the plan
was working TO the advantage of the
cities which ha6 adopted it. u look
ed to the speaker as If the city man J.
ager plan is a business like PROPOSE
ton. Mr.. Palmer did not want TO be
understood to mean that he wanted
this city TO plunge blindly into some
form Of city government without
giving it thorough study. That is
Just what forum meetings are called
for. He would have the people OF
Mankato study the plan, and per-
haps some time in the future when
the plan has been given a more
thorough test, it might be adopted in
Mankato with a great saving to the
tax payers.
Mayor w. A Beach referring to the
statement of one of the speakers that
the city manager plan places respon
sibility, said that the only criticism
he had of the present form OF Man
kato city government, that the re-
sponsibility of the heads of the dill
ferent departments was not placed
strongly enough upon their shoulders.
A city manager he was confident
the Dayton flood, the Mankato ty-
phoid epidemic, etc. Mayor Beach
said that he did not believe that any
one man government was good gov
eminent. In his opinion a city man
ager would be an outside man,
carpetbagger," who could not be de-
pended upon to stay any length III
time. Mayor Beach said that he was
old fashioned enough to believe II a
representative form of government. IN
closing Mayor Beacn said that he
believed in continuing the present
form of city government, with per-
hapS a few minoc changes.
+. J. Sperry said that he had but
one criticism to offer in the present
form of city government. Thst was
that FIVE men were elected without re
gard to their fitness to fill the dit
ferent departments of the city. 1t was
left to the men elected TO cloose Tor
themselves what ever department
they chose without regard to their
qualifications for that department. Mr.
Sperry thought that this should be
thought over.
city manager plan and SID thtt i;
was un-A'3crican nd was imported
from a foie:sn country, which is now
struggling in The throes of bank
ruptcy.
; Politics Is Good Thing
Attorney Horace w. Roberts in re :
ferring to some of the statements OF
the former speakers as TO the danger
int hn nj
government. said that politics are a
good thing instead of a menace.
Criticism in politics keeps both sides
on the tip toes to see that their po-
sitions are filled to the best OF their
ability.
Mrs. D. G.. Willard said that she is
too much OF an American to live I'M
der an autocratic form of govern
ment. w. R. Hammett explained how
under the present form of city gov
eminent, the work is planned and
turned over to the city engineer. Lo-
gan Rose liked the good old Anglo
Saxon term alderman. @Auolph Muel-
Ter asked Mr.. Palmer whether a city
under the city manager plan. Mr..
Palmer said that it was his belief
that the city manager should be a
high class civil engineer.
Mrs. Louise Buttervorth wanted to
know how a city manager of compe-
tency could be selected Mr.. Palmer
said that there is City Manager as
ISOLATION consisting of large num-
Der of men who have made municipal
affairs a special study. who send out
men fitted for those positions.
Mrs. Adolph Mueller said the big
thing in the selection of city man
ager, was his ability to manage.
Rev. w. P. Clark would have the
people of Mankato make study OF
the plans of city government and not
come to any hasty decision.
Miss Sophia hammers, public IL
brarian stated that she will at any
time CO. operate in getting books AID
necessary information for the study
of municipal affairs.
It was announced at the close Of
the meeting that the next topic Tor
discussion will be Taxation.
BAND NATIONS TOGETHER