The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-20
Amendment of CITY
Charter Only
Necessary.
Attorneys Hold Power
-A'to Change Is
Granted.

lily SOVeTumeuL NY Tie uedu5
of commission, such as is carried
on in Des Moines, can be inaugur-
ated in Spokane without the neces-
sity of legislative enabling act,
II the people vote to adopt the pro-
posed commission plan.
This opinion is held by lawyers
who have looked into the question.
The adoption of the commission
plan in Spokane could be effected
through an amendment of the pres
ent charter.
The right is granted all cities of
the first class under the constitu-
ton to select their own form of
government, provided the same is
not in conflict with the general
laws of the state. The commission
plan or any other plan that the
people may see fit adopt can be
put In operation without the neces-
sity of appealing to the general
assembly, as is done in most states
where such plans of municipal re-
form are adopted.
While the Des Moines plan calls
for a 25 per cent initiative petition
to bring a special election, a 10
per cent petition will place any
issue to popular vote at the next
general city election.
The idea of commission gov
fc nfyfn
many new supporters as the ques-
ton is being investigated. Poll
ticians, however. are not flocking
to the idea in droves.
Gordon G. Corbaley, who has
been municipal commission man
for nearly two years, made talk
in favor of the plan at meeting
of the Federated Mems clubs in
the spring Of 1907 and has never
had any occasion to change his
views on the question.
II am more firmly convinced
than ever Of the wisdom of adopt
ing the commission plan of city
government" said Mr.. Corbaley
this morning. II am ready to as
sist in every way possible any
movement seeking to adopt this
system. Under a commission we
can get better men to look after
: our city affairs, and the present
complicated methods of conducting
municipal business can be elimi-
mated The members of COM
mission government are directly
responsible to the people and can
be made to give an account of their
stewardship. 1t will call to the
affairs of the city the business
methods employed by private cor
porations, where a board of direc-
tors have charge of the affairs of
the company and generally get
things done If they are worth doing
at ALL"
A. l.. White, president of the
park commission, commended The
Press for bringing to the attention
of the people anything calculated
to work an improvement In the
present methods of city govern
ment, but confessed to lack of
sufficient knowledge on the Des
Moines idea to be able to speak
intelligently on the subject.
Ex-Mayor J. M. Comstock. who
wrestled with an effort to give the
city an economical administration
ttN In, IL al 10
morning that he is heartily in favor
of the commission plan II the peo-
pie can be made to unite on the
subject regardless of politics and
select only the most able and eff
ficient men that can be found.
"The commission plan, to be eff
fective," Mr.. Comstock said, must
be nonpartisan. The people and
the commission must work In har-
mony, and to secure this result
J. politics must be eliminated. Only
the best men should be elected as
commissioners and the salaries
should be large enough that the
very best men could be secured"
James M. Geraghty, former cor
poration counsel, Is warm sup
porter of the commission plan of
city government.
"The evils that exist under our
present methods of municipal
government, said Mr.. Geraghty to-
day, "are due almost wholly to our
system of the election of council
men by ward boundaries. In this
city we nominally have q govern
Ing body OF 10 councilmen when rs
a matter of fact the city council
has largely partitioned the func-
tons of government to the ward
representatives thereby giving us
five governing bodies instead of
one. A commission of five men
could be elected, each for term
of four years. and the expiration
of the terms OF Office could be SO
arranged that not to exceed two
new members could so into office