The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-31
TINES READERS ARE FOR CITY MANAGER GOVERNMENT
One Letter Writer Says
Drastic Measures Are
Necessary.
NECESSITY.
TO the Editor Of The Times

AI form or government Tor In
dianapolis, there is a neces-
/ sity that would warrant change of
ALMOST any kind. Many people
sagreed with William Allen White as
to the League of Nations who did
not believe in it as a remedy, bat
rather as an emergency measure.
White said that when a house is on
fire one does not do the meticulous
word of ten letters beloved of nov
elists) thing but throws household
goods out of doors and windows
''promiscuous like" A famous New
York physician years ago said that
when a woman who did too much
dining" called him in he asked ii
she liked chocolates and IL she did
he told her to eat a pound a day.
Sounds like idiotic treatment. for an
overfed. but the doctor said the
thirst the chocolates would cause
would in turn give his patient the
internal bath She would not other
wise get.
If Indianapolis will not be capably
governed under its present form no
doubt the business manager form
would turn the trick But after all
it must be known that business man
ager. commission or Federal, as the
present form was called when 1t was
established, is not a panacea. Let
ting a George do Il" unquestionabIy
would arouse the people to g. sense
of community spirit which always
must co-exist with capable and hon
est administration Of their govern
ment, true to a paraphrase of the
axiom to make it read, eternal
vigilance is the price OF continuous
good municipal government"
Many Experiences
There have been many experiences
with various centralizing forms OF
government. The first notable one
with the commission form was in
Memphis in the seventies, to deal
with a yellow fever situation and Of
which the head was Luke Wright.
late Governor in the Philippines,
and then in the Cabinet of Presi-
dent. After a few years and the
emergency passed Memphis reverted.
as did also Galveston, which called
in a commission to deal with the
tidal wave calamity situation. and
as did number of other cities. In
the course of years the commission
form took on the name of half
dozen cities as being the demon
strators of it.
The plight of indianapolis is due
to at least thirty years of feudalistic
politics until the words public
service" and public servant" are
obsolete. The dispute is over a
sort of proprietary possession OF
the local government. Many good
people have been drawn into the
vortex" until you hear them dis
cussing city elections wholly per-
sonal antipathies. BY hook or
crook or by business manager the
people must be lifted out of the
''vortex"-perhaps gutter is the
better.
Self Government
The big mistake always has 6eep
due to the ignorant belief that the
administration OF city's govern.
ment is a master of identical dis.
erection on the part of the city Of
fetal. It has led to the bromide
put him in office and bet him ran
1T Ike always Ake9 fss does his
business" as il laws did not pre-
scribe practically all his acts. Mr..
Mellon for several years has been
trying to enlighten the public and
mike the people realize that his
discretion as secretary is all but
negilible, that the people through
their representatives in Congress
determine his official action.
In an article in The Times on the
Cleveland experience with the bust
ness manager form it was said that
the city council decides what shall
be done, and the business manager
,sees that it is done in the best pos
sible manner. The council is elected
by the people, and there you are.
A well known citizen in an article
in The Times says that whenever
the people have the viii to change"
the present vicious archaic" system
win no longer be tolerated He
speaks of the support and cooper
alton of equally high grade and pub
lie spirited citizens acting as board
Of directors" But, the directors
would be elected by the people as
the present council was, and the peo-
pie are to decide what manner Of a
board is to hire, direct or fire bust
ness manager. What is true in
Cleveland has bee true elsewhere
and is. in short, "self-government."