The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-09
Manager Must Manage

neither the time nor the disposition
to bear.
Manager Must Manage
A city manager cannot succeed
cannot even begin to function-un-
less he has back Of him a city coun-
Gil which understands that, although
they are free to fire the city man
ager at any time, they are at no
time free to NEEDLE in any way in
administrative affairs.
These two principles have been
strictly observed in Knoxville. and
to that fact is due the wonderful
transformation that has occurred in
city government since Oct. l. 1923,
and, indirectly, in the civic life of
the whole people.
1t is my opinion that the princi-
Piles which have brought this ex-
cellent city government TO Knoxville
are applicable to any city, large or
small.
The city manager government
would. have failed in Knoxville had
the people not been determined to
call to the city council a high type
of men who hitherto had kept their
hands off, and would have continued
to keep their hands off, had their
fellow citizens not sent them a call
which no man can deny-the call
to a position OF duty and honor.
Much Depends ON Council
II Indianapolis H. determined to
draft her wisest and most unselfsh
citizens for her first city council
under the manager form there is
no better form she can adopt than
the city manager form.
But il she intends merely to
change the form. and let the old
players at the political game run
the new machinery. then the city
manager form will not have fair
test.
The city manager form has had
a fair test in Knoxville. and It has
succeeded beyond the fairest hopes
Of it's advocates.
In a recent election of members of
the Legislature on the sole issue Of
the city manager charter, those
candidates pledged not to tamper
with the charter We're elected by Q.
landslide.
The new government In its first
year, spent less than the political
government did the previous year.
1t not only kept within its budget,
but finding that expenditures were
lower and revenues higher than
anticipated, 1t refunded to the taxA
payers 10 per cent of the taxes
they had paid in.
True. the new government raised
taxes, but 1t did th,s in order to pay
current expenses out OF current rev
enues. instead of issuing bonds to
pay them, as did the old government.
In refunding the city's debt, the pew
government was able to borrow
money In the New York market at
from az to 3 $500 per cent interest
as compared with per cent interest
and commission which the political
government had to pay. The new
government has added almost mil
lion dollars worth Of permanent i'm
provements and in doing so has add
ed less than $4,000 to the city's
debt.
Government Is Efficient
Elimination OF politics has brought
efficiency and high morale all down
the line, and today the ely govern
ment of Knoxville is more efficienr
than most private business.
Answering the objections made in
Indianapolis:
No. l. The city manager govern
ment does not make for a political
machine If the politicians are kept
out of the city council-as they can
be kept out IL the people want to
keep them out. as Knoxville has
kept them out. Knoxville finds it
unthinkable that City Manager Louis
Brownlow would play politics. All
Of his appointments have been made
solely on the fitness of the appointes
for the job. The city council did
not desire to know, and has not
known, what these appointments
were until they read the city man
ayers announcement in the papers,
but in every case they have been
entirely satisfied with the Judgment
Of the city manager they selected
No. 2. Instead of removing from
the people control OF their govern
ment, the city manager government.
Knoxville has found, has brought
government closer to them. in prac-
tical affairs, than It has even been
The city manager and his helpers
would not listen to any politician or
special interest or faction-if. indeed.
such would dare approach them-but
the city manager does have his ear
Ito the ground to find out what the
Whole people want. And what the
whole people want he has done, in
most satisfying way.
No 3. The city manager govern
ment IL stronger with the people
than ever before. No one Is against
Il. practically. except the politicians
= I. \. ..---- " $500 - ~ ". :