The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-17
AMERICAN CITIES
ARE REPRESENTED
Hundreds of Delegates Attend
The National Municipal
League Meeting.
REFORMS ARE DISCUSSED
ROBERT TREAT PAINE, JR.. TO.
DAY ADVOCATED REMOVAL OF
PARTY DESIGNATIONS FROM
MUNICIPAL BALLOTS.
(American News Seryice)


Cincinnati, o.. Nov. 17.-Hundreds
of delegates from all over the United
States were in attendance today al
the National Municipal League con
vention, and many plans for the bet
ter government Of municipalities. were
considered. Robert Treat Paine, Jr.
delivered an interesting address on
The Elimination of National Party
Designations from Municipal Ballots. ~
Address by Paine.
Mr.. Paine spoke as follows
Boston's decision, November ., to
have a non-partisan city government.
and to eliminate national politics from
the nomination and election of her
city officials. brings to the front this
question of municipal non-partisan-
ship as one that demands attention
from every city suffering from mis-
government
In England and on the continent.
where cities so successfully efficiently
and honestly manage great undertake
ings. they do NOT suffer from the in
trusion Of national politics. No par
ty designation is printed on municipal
ballots. Yet their governments are
otherwise usually framed on the model
which. in America, brings misrule-
large chambers. elected by wards. and
exercising their powers through COM
mittees. The lesson is evident: that
not change OF municipal machinery,
but unhampered local choice of disin-
terested civic servants solves the mu-
nicipal problem. Canada has no par
ty designations on municipal ballots,
nor does Australia permit them
The intrusion CT national political
organizations into city affairs has long
been recognized in America as an I'M
mitigated source of evil. Delegates
from Municipal Voters Leagues of the
country. meeting in Chicago. in 1905,
resolved, unanimously. for the separa-
ton of national bolitics from munich
pal affairs. This principle has been
advocated by the National Municipal
League from its foundation.
A Proposed Remedy
One proposed remedy, the mere sep
aration in time of city elections from
state or national elections, is as nee
essary. as to have an honest ballot, but
neither does it cure the trouble. Only
by going to the root of the matter can
we stamp out the evil itself We must
forbid the intrusion Of national parti- |
Such a policy has been tried |
and has proved successful in our own |
Grand Rapids. Mich, in 1903, ex-
perimented with the non-partisan
principle in the choice of certain minor
officials. Fresno, Cal. was the first to
Use it in the selection of mayor and
aldermen. The plan is best known in
with the Des Moines com
mission form" of government, of
which it is an essential feature.
Results everywhere have been so
highly gratifying that it's adoption is
Increasing at a rapid rate. our states.
owa, South Dakota. Wisconsin and
Kansas, by general law, permit cities
o adopt it by popular vote. In ten
'ther states cities are now operating
lnder this non-partisan charter In
Is many more states. cities are seek
ng charter amendments for similar
President Taft. in 1906. stated that
he was in thorough sympathy with
his principle of the separation of mu-
,icipal affairs from national party pol
tics.
No half way measures should be adj
coated. Ward politicians will OPP
'ose the reform. Only through an
Imperative demand can the people Sc
ure it. Everywhere. voters. who
are for the true Welfare of their city
hould insist on the unequivocal elm
nation from their city affairs of ma
ional partisanship.