The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-17
"A CITY MANAGER

Il
Not the best advertisement In the world Is the
constant appearance In the of city officials and
employees being called before the grand jury to ex-
plain their actions presumably against the public
interest.
The one worse advertisement would be the COM
mon knowledge of conditions needing inquiry and
obtaining no scrutiny.
That was the condition for a long time, until in
fact the public was startled from its ethargy and
apathy and general feeling of helplessness by the
dramatic charges of the former Of the State now
life term convict
We have progressed to the point where at least
we protest-which shows growth
But 1t is not probable that the city will ever be
rid Of these evils until it gets rid of the boss system
Of government, for city which is ruled by a boss
viii always find that it needs to watch the men put
in power by the boss. -
boss can only exist by giving privileges to his
servants, the who round up votes on election
DAYS or find votes where they do not exist at all.
The boss is boss only because he can use the
public resources for the benefit of himself and his
friends. Otherwise he would his talent and his
time in business ventures
The present system of city government is we'll
fitted to the creation of the boss in politics. who in
turn becomes the power in government.
The linking of local elections to the names of ma
tional parties is the weapon which enables him to
win.
He can always depend upon of party
loyalty to give him basis of support for candi
date he names, and then he can plead with the venal
and the corruptble and rule with this minority of
citizens, all other citizens
By controlling the machinery OF the party whose
followers the majority of CITY, he generally
control the Nominations and then the election except
when he gets too in his outrages becomes almost
a certainty.
The present system, aside from this aspect, is
cumbersome and costly. Instead of safeguarding pub
lie interest 1t allows the public interest to be lost
in the maze of divided responsibility. No wonder
that thousands refuse to vote
Other cities which have suffered as Indianapolis
suffers have found their salvation in the scien-
tifc and modern system of city manager
The enterprises of city require executive.
They should be as is any private business which
must depend upon efficiency and service to maintain
itself
No big business could last year if it depended
picking its executives by an appeal to passion,
prejudice and through trickery.
That is the way city administrations estab-
lished-the secret bargains with politicians and
bosses, the private promises of jobs to the unfit.
The city manager plan provides for election
in which national party barred The
government of the city is not made asset for
State and National affairs with which they have
connection relation
There is chance of electing councilmen who
will sense the needs of the city and act board
of directors.
They select for his ability to get results
in paving streets, collecting garbage, directing parks
enforcing laws. They do not pick him because he
has bargained with boss to give him the jobs for
henchmen who expect to graft.
comparison of the news of the day of Cleveland
Cincinnati with that of Indianapolis should be
vincing of the need of change.
Those cities not expanding their thought
and time in hunting down graft. They are talking
about expansion and better service and boastng
Of victories gained in improvements.
The change must come. 1t ought to come soon.
For If any city needed salvation and redemption
from disagreement it is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.