Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 8, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 May 1927 — Page 13
MAY 20, 1927
TEXT OF SEASONGOOD’S CITY MANAGER SPEECH
Text of the speech of Mayor Murray L. Seasongood of Cincinnati, Ohio, under city manager form, before 500 representative citizens on Thursday night at the Claypool:
Tour invitation states the purpose of this meeting is to give the citizens of Indianapolis accurate information on how the city manager plan works in a sister ’municipality. Os course, every crow thinks its fledglings are the blackest, and a person, like myself, who has been Interested in the city manager movement in our city from its inception, and is the first mayor under it, may not be entirely unbiased. However, when I say that the city manager government in Cincinnati has been, thus far, an unqualified success, I think I am repeating what at least three-fourths of our people, of all classes, are saying of our year and a half experiment. Forms Mean Little It Is a truism that forms of government, of themselves, do not accomplish good government. Nevertheless, a corollary which should not be overlooked is that the form of government may make good government easier or more difficult of attainment. In the end, good government is dependent on citizen interest, as opposed to professional politician interest, and one great advantage of city manager government under our charter in Cincinnati has been that Cincinnatians are tremendously interested in their local government and that municipal politics has become a leading activity of the citizens. Harm In Indifference This, in itself, is of tremendous advantage, because indifference to local politics in a great many ties in this country is something which must give the student of our government system serious concern. Professor Hatton of the Western Reserve University, a member of the council of Cleveland, Ohio, under their city manager charter, has recently expressed the view that the city manager is a more important officer, in many respects, than a United States Senator, and certainly the extent to which a city manager can affect the health, safety, the happiness and well-being of hundreds of thousands of persons, gives much warrant for the statement. The effect of good municipal government is not limited to the city boundaries, but affords inspiration and encouragement to far distant localities. As an evidence of this, both city manager and I have been asked to speak on “City Manager Government in dfhcinnati” in numerous cities in all sections of the country. Few Go to Polls My most recent visit was to Atlanta, Ga., where I was appalled to learn that with about three hundred thousand people, the largest vote known on municipal matters was 20,000 and that the last submission of a city manager charter had failed by a vote of 7,000 opposed and 6,000 favoring. One reason for the small \ote is that conditions precedent to exercising it are the payment of a poll tax and the making of property tax return, the latter having a specially deterrent effect on the women; in other words,-a penalty, rather than a premium, is placed on voting. It is not strange, therefore, that there should be inscribed on the'‘Henry W. Grady monument, which stands in the city hall squafe, the statement, “He neither filled not sought public office.” In Dayton, Ohio, the vote for retention of the city manager government was 27,000 for as against 14,000 opposed, a vote of about one-half of the posable vote. Brought Heavier Vote In twenty-nine States bolding senatorial primaries last fall, seventeen -cast a larger vole in the primary than in the election. While in perhaps half of these, the primary vote is tantamount to election, still the result is disturbing and so we take pride in the fact that in Cincinnati our charter carried 92,000 in favor as against 41,000 opposed, and at our last municipal election 199,730 ballots were cast. So, too, it is a matter of congratulation that you in Indianapolis petitioned for your city manager government election by more than thirty-three thousand signatures, although less than twenty thousand would have been necessary (overtopping us, who initiated our charter amendment by the request of some twenty-two thousand petitioners): Unlike the Three Tailors of Tooley St., who referred to themselves as "We, the people of London,” your committee of 1,000 has, I understand, more than seventeen hunderd representative citizens aotively working for the city manager form of government. This augurs well for the success of the movement and it worth while in itself, Irrespective of the outcome. Radio Spreads Message You are fortunate, too, In having nse of the radio (I will not say for this speech), but as an adjunct of tremendous value for the direct and widespread dissemination of information. We, too, have been fortunate in this respect at home and I have found numerous times that a radio message is seed planted on fertile groynd. In New York, I understand, radio messages have to be written out in advance and are censored, but you and we are happy in having liberty of speech and not requiring any Indignant Milton to write a modern "Arepagitica.” From what I have learned of your situation, it is comparable to our own bqfpre t lie adoption of the city manager plan, and the same argument we used should be persuasive here. In the words of Hudlbras, “he that is down need fear no fall.” You have nothing to risk by a change. There are, I find, certain stock arguments used by the existing order wherever the city manager form of government is submitted. Untrue Argument The first of these is that the politicians are not really opposed to the city manager plan and calculate on having even more complete control under It. This argument is intended t 9 discourage workers for the new system, and is untrue in fact. Yop will find, when he election comes, just as we found in Cincinnati, an intense organized opposition by ward and precinct politicians. Then, as
to the politicians getting more complete control, how can that be when their control is complete now? The truth is, you will be able to get outstanding citizens, as we were able to do, to stand for Council. With rtn aroused citizenship, you can elect them,'and they in turn will choose a city manager no more interested in politics than is the general manager or supei'intendent of a large private industry. Just now, in our own city, the politicians are shouting so loudly for the city manager form of government and for the city manager, because they think it popular to do so, and that they are likely to get in on protestations of undying devotion, that they are apt to be hoarse and lose their voices after election so that they will be unable to speak in praise of either the system or the manager. Unless I am greatly mistaken, however, our people know the story of the wooden horse and of Joab and Amasa in the Bible. Then it is said that the city manager form Injures the national parties. The exact reverse is the fact. It tends to make the party stand for what itNshould stand for, namely, principles, and relieves them of what the local machines actually stand for, namely, patronage. About Losing Jobs Next, it is Industriously circulated that all city employes will lose their positions and that police and firemen's pensions will be interfered with. The slightest reflection will show how little basis there is for this bogey man. The city manager necessarily desires to make good. ‘ Asa skillful employer, he knows that labor turn-over is the bane of industry. He realizes tlTat there are many excellent men in city positions and that they have acquired proficicency in their departments, Employes who are competent and loyal should be the most enthusiastic adherents of the city manager plan because they should realize that their positions are not dependent rfh political favor or dis- , favor, and that merit is recognized. Employes Happier When I first came into office I was ashed a number of different times py policemen, either directly or through friends, to intercede when the policeman desired to be stationed or* in questions of promotion. It was hard to make clear to some who had been subjected to the system of politician Interference that these matters were solely in the hands of the manager and chief of police, but now I think this is thoroughly understood and our police and firemen and city employes generally, as I have been told by numbers of each, have never been so happy. No one in the present city governmefit would think of taking away police or firemen’s pensions, even if that could legally be done; the whole effort has leen to strengthen the administration of these pen-
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sion funds and, if possible, extend them to other municipal employes. Cleaner Streets The same is true of the street cleaning department. Under the former regime there qould be no discipline here or in any other city department, because men put in by political pull owed no obedience or loyalty to their nominal head. Now, the head of the street cleaning department, who was always imbued with a sincere desire to do his work well, selects his men on the basis of fitness and the difference shows itself very plainly In the appearance of the streets. Os course, the cleanliness or otherwise of the streets has an important bearing on the apeparance and health of the city, and so you see how widespread are the ramifications of good government. The indirect benefits of it are Inestimable. Colored Citizens Aided Now as to the colored citizens, in Atlanta, appeals to prejudice were made* that the city manager would bring in Negro policemen and office holders. Here, the colortd people are being told that In some way they will suffer from the city manager government. In Cincinnati, \the colored sections receive the same treatment as every other section. We recognize that any section badly administered, breeds crime and sickness. Formerly, the streets in the colored section were not clean, poolrooms of a vicious character, moonshine parlors and hand-book gambling joints made the colored sections of the city a terrible place for selfrespecting colored people to live. We have received grateful thanks of the colored leaders for improvements that have been brought about. Works to Lower Taxes Then, it Is said that the city manager government in some way increases taxes. How can that be when enormous economies are effected through it? The number of city services is constantly increasing and additional expenditures, therefore, became necessary', tin the other hand so great have been savings in our own city, ms an example, that the additional service is rendered practically without cost. I can not give you all the details or even state the most striking of them, but it is no exaggeration to say that the savings effected run into the'millions, the saving irf o e street alone, five miles long. Kellogg Ave., being in eveess of SBOO,OOO. Cliange Toward Utilities We have anew attitude towards public utilities. We expect them to comply to the letter with their franchise obligations. An expert study is the basis of contracts we expect to make. We have appropriated $50,000 for the study of the gas and electric rates and $25,000 for study of rapid transit plans. Under the former administration, the connection between the utilities and the boss was closed and friendly, as witness a telegram which leaked out and in which the boss directed the council to pass a gas ordinance, referring to the gas company, as “Our friends.” Railroad Pays $25,000. The change in attityde is Illustrated by a suit, which the city had agaiist the railroad. This suit was brought about twelve years ago and
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was never pressed. It-was about to be dismissed when our legal department, looking Into it, decided the suit had merit and demanded trial. The trial was unnecessary because the railroad paid up the full amount with Interest, amounting to $25,000. In the letting of city contracts and in the city buying, enormous savings have resulted. As an example, by a changed method of buying fresh meats for the city hospital, the saving will be approximately a year on this one item. When the county operated the city hospital, on one purchase of about SIO,OOO worth of canned goods, th# difference in price between what they paid and what city paid, when we took back the hospital, is SI,OOO in favor of the city, on the same amount yf purchases. Lower Street Cost A principal highway, Spring Grove Ave., was in such condition as to be practically impassable. To have taken up the granite and to liave reset it would have cost about $70,000. By the use of a superheater, a layer of asphalt was laid on the granite at a cost of $7,000, and every one on the street wrote a letter repressing
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satisfaction except one man who operated a garage. He said his business was ruined by the improvement. The city was without street signs, because while $50,000 was available as the proceeds of a bond issue for this purpose, it was thought the amount was insufficient. Os course, it was, when under the ugly and impractical method to be used, each corner would have cost S4B. Instead, neat legible signs are put up, one pole serving in many cases or the light poles being utilized, at a cost of $8.50 a corner. Gets Full Value I could go on with similar examples, but to mention them all would keep you so long you would probably not get out to vote. Under the city manager plan, well administered, the city gets a dollar’s worth of service for a dollar and there is no split with any one. Your city manager plan, I understand, will not become effective until the expiration of the term of the 1 present incumbents. While this is a disappointment, no doubt, you will be given plenty of time to canvass the field, to impress your best citizenship into the service of the city and to select a city manager who will take over the government with vigor and skill. Illegal Action Stopped We, in Cincinnati, have an auditor whose term, by the charter, was continued until Jan. 1, 1928. At that time his successor will be appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of council. This auditor, when the city officials of the former administration diverted some $197,000 from the trust fund for street repairs to general purposes, demanded an apology of the Automobile Club, whose officers called his 'attention to this, and this auditor likewise failed to notice that the rapid transit commission used thousands of dollars from the proceeds of bond issues for rapid transit and park purposes illegally for the payment of their salaries, but it has been a matter of amusement to me that when jpy old instructor, George P. Baker, telegraphed me as mayor, requesting the city of Cincinnati to place a wreath on the Shakespeare statue in New York, and I replied by telegram, because the time was short, that tho city could not make this expenditure, but that I would be glad to do so personally, and although I have an appropriation for telegrams from the council, the au-
ditor refused to approve the telegraphic bill, amounting to 72 cents, charged by my secretary to the city. This appears to be straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. Hopes for Success I sincerely hope that all the effort and enthusiasm represented by your campaign will result in success, be-
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municipal government is the most Important of our governments, because it touches most closely ths large numbers of people living under it. and according as they have confidence in tlieir city government or fall to have confidence in it, so they .vill judgo tho national government and be loyal to it.