The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-08-18
LOOKOUT FOR THE KICKBACKS

The people of Key West will be called
upon ia perform duty of great importance
on Tuesday. November g
This * no longer a ''two-by-twice'
city; We have entered period of transition
that calls for the most substantial mer in
cur midS To conduct our civic affairs. Hes
my cousin. or He's my cousins cousin
or He isn't much. but like him. should ~
longer Ne considerations i'm the election Of
our officers
Whether the people of Key West real
;ze it o. not. the purchase of the Key West
Electric Company has put the city into big
business. and il requires big men to attend
officially 10 the affairs of big business.
The Citizen is aware that owners of
realty IL Key West are not and will not b.
responsible for the debt contracted in az
quiring possession of the Key West Electro
Company. yet that doesn't alter the fact ore
whit that the company should be conducted
just as efficiently as il has been in the past
when s. was owned by a corporation
1t has been said and said truly. thai
big corporations watch the pennies a. we'll
as the dollars ard that they are big because
they have been efficient If an emplove does
not perform the duty he was hired 10 per-
form. he is dismissed and a better qualified
man i put into his place. passion To give
service actuateS every big corporation but
in giving that service every penny that Is
spent must not Only be accounted for hut
mus, also contribute to the advancement of
the corporations interests
1t has been practice in Key West. not
SO pronounced now as it was in the old days,
TO blare. ''0h. that the city'S money, whats
the difference" when question of vase
or extravaganza was discussed. County
or states or government were some
times used in place of ''city's'', but the sen
timent vas the same: of what consequence
was it in wasting money that was the city's
or the county's or the states or the govern
ment's? Those glib-tiRgued critics did not
realize that the money they were speaking
about vas their Own-the peoples money.
OF course, The Citizen is aware that
Key West also is a corporation. a municipal
corporation. Is there any reason why it
should not function as efficiently as a pub
lie or semi-pubic corporation?
1t : up to the voters of Key West -
answer that question in the election to be
held on Tuesday, November 9; it Is up 80
them 70 see that able men are elected, par
ticulariy i'm the executive and administrative
branches of the government. ''Yes-yes' men
and ''he'S-my -couSin" men should have no
place il the administration of the affairs Of
the city.
The same astute Key West business
woman who complained about the disrupted
garbage situation, remarked. Il wonder if
the city will conduct the electric company
in the same >lipshod way as it is running the
garbage service"
That's another question for the voters
To answer. They should bear in mind. when
they @ 10 the polls next November they
are voting for their own interests If they
put efficient men il office. the electric
company will be run efficiently. which Will
mean q reduction in rates to consumers: if
they vote for reasons other than efficiency.
then hey themselves Will be the butt of the
kIckback- that are sure To come