Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-04
WILL FRAME
SKELETON OF
NEW CHARTER
REvlSIONISTS DEPUTE POWER
TO COMMITTEE
FAVOR DIRECT PRIMARY FOR
ALL NOMINATIONS
Commission Decides to Discuss Group
Party Nominations on Ballots
at Its Next Ses-
sion

The charter revision commission last
night authorized a special committee
of three to prepare a skeleton form o.
charter.
Ii also announced a policy of favoring
nominations by some form of direct
primary.
In framing the skeleton charter no
specific instructions were given, though
nominations by direct primary were
shown to be the popular form.
The attendance was large last night,
II. G. Lichtenberger occupying the chair
of Committeeman Tufts, who resigned
because he was called to Honolulu.
Much of the evening was given over
to informal discussion of fundamental
points, resulting finally in decision to
make party columns on ballots spe-
cial order of business for next Tuesday
night.
Mr.. Fennessy said if the commission
would permit preliminary discussion of
the question of reducing the percentage
on recall petitions more progress would
be made.
Mr. Murray moved that the percent
age matter be laid on the table till the
committee on charter reported. This
carried.
WouId Have Debaters
Mr.. Finlayson moved that there be
large debating body for council and
a smaller body to have administrative
functions The large debating body
shall discuss municipal questions in its
own chamber. This is known as the
Newport plan.
Mr. Call urged that councilmen at
large be subject to recall ON a 10 per
cent basis.
Mr. Lissner said Messrs. Fennessy,
Murray and others on their side were
not the only champions of the recall.
Il have found no one yet in this COM
mission who is opposed to the recall,
said Mr.. Lissner. We do not, how
ever, want to make it's workings rfdic-
ulous or difficult"
Mr.. Murray said there were but two
ways to proceed-one to show the pub
lie a united front or to hopelessly di-
vide.
"The gentlemen who have the ma
jority of the votes here should consider
that" he added.
In saying this he suggested that no
action be taken on the recall petition
until after the committee on charter
had reported skeleton charter.
MIR. Fennessy wanted to know if any
special function was being taken away
from the subcommittee of three by
these suggestions. There was chorus
of no"
Mr.. Washburn, VIII favors the COM
bined councilmen at large and by wards
system suggested that there was dan
ger of too many alternatives.
DR.. Haynes said he favored council
men at large first, and mixed council
secondly.
Judges Works and Hunsaker ex-
planned that they favored Incorporating
only councilmen at large in the charter.
Withdrew Recall Motion
Mr.. Fennessy moved that a percent
age of Is per cent be considered best
for recall as an alternative PROPOSE
tion and 25 per cent as a charter.
Mr. Mesmer opposed the motion, say
ine. the percentage should remain at 20.
Mr. Lissner said he believed not many
were prepared to discuss the recall tea-
ture at once, and then Mr.. Fennessy
withdrew the motion after several COM
mitteenen suggested that the recall
percentage should be left to the legis-
lative committee.
An informal discussion of direct pri-
maries was then started at the sugges-
tion of Mr.. Mead.
Mr. Lissner spoke for direct nomina-
tions a s against the convention system.
He said few signatures should be re-
CURED and candidates names should be
printed on the ticket in alphabetical
groups without party designation.
Lissner's Plan
Make the voter use his brains when
he goes to the ballot box. Let the man
who receives the plurality of names be
declared elected said Mr.. Lissner.
lie suggested a step farther. After
plurality election the two highest men
for mayor should be held as between
the two men receiving the highest vote,
unless one has received a clear ma
jority over ALL
AT this point the commission took a
unanimous vote on the proposition fay-
oring direct nomination by primary
rather than by convention.