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Show Good City Government THE OPERATION of the city government is more complex than that of any other business carried on here. It collects and expenda more money than any other enterprise in the community. com-munity. The money comes out of the pockets of the dwellers, either as direct taxes or as part of the rents they pay. There is not a citizen but who has a direct and personal interest in the business conducted by the city commission and auditor as elective officials and by their subordinate) subordi-nate) appointees and employes. This interest far exceeds thst of stockholders in a corporation, corpora-tion, for their concern Is almost wholly limited to the matter of profits and dividends. Citizens are, or should be, moved by far more slgniftcsnt matters. The only dividend a citizen may collect from the city consists of benefits arising from the prudent and honest expenditure of tax moneys. The finances of the city must be kept in order. The city's utilities must be maintained to render maximum of service at a minimum of cost and developed to meet growing needs of the community. com-munity. All city properties must be kept presentable pre-sentable and in repair and planning must go forward to meet future demands of an expanding population. Health, police and fire protection must be afforded. Streets must be maintained and improved and extended as circumstances warrant. To do these things, crowded with detail, de-tail, demands efficiency, conscientiousness, thrift, Capability and a passion for civic welfare. This, boiled down, means that the city commission com-mission must consist of competent, dutiful and honest businessmen called to public service from successful business enterprises, large or small. Mediocre Individuals or men who have been ' failures) in private affairs csn scarcely be counted on to render the public the kind of service demanded de-manded in the gigantic business of carrying on the city's intricate affairs. It is beyond all reason rea-son to expect any but competent and experienced men of character to give the community a businesslike busi-nesslike administration of the monumental and exacting responsibilities they face. There are Individuals' and organizations endeavoring to force attention to other considerations by the Voters. The ones stated are fundamental. There re no others which have comparable importance). im-portance). On next January 1 there will be automatically two vacancies on the city commission and one in . the office of auditor. Nine Individuals aspire to election as city commissioners. Tour individuals are candidates for city auditor. On October 19 primary elections will be held. At that time four candidates for city commissioner com-missioner will be chosen by the pluralities they receive In the primary election to go on the ballots bal-lots for the November election. At the primary election two candidstes will be chosea likewise to contend In the final election elec-tion for choice as city auditor. In the November election, out of the four running run-ning for seats on the commission two will be elected to take office in January, and similarly . one of the two candidates will be chosen as city auditor. Obviously there will be seven aspirants for commisslonershlps who will lose in the eon-test eon-test and three for the uditorship will be disappointed. disap-pointed. The Telegram neither favors nor supports any candidate. Its. sole concern is thst the fittest of all entered In the contest are successful. This concern Is rooted in the hope thst the city may have the beet government attainable by selections selec-tions from among the men in the field. This should be the only concern of the voters. We regard it as their responsibility and civic duty to examine the records of the candidstes, then to vote at both the primary and the final election In accordance with their thoughtfnlly arrived at judgments, "Vote as you Please, but vote " . |