The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-03-02
PEOPLES FORUM
To the People of Ardmore.

To the People of Ardmore:
In the unfortunate contest now
being waged in our city 1t is possible
that many do not fully understand o.
appreciate the true nature and put.
poses of this commission plan Of
city government. 1t should fist be
realized by every citizen that Ard-
more as a city is merely a big cor.
poration-a business concern-owned
by the whole people. and every citi-
zen in IL is stakeholder, interested
at least to the extent of his holdings.
be that large or small. Now every
stockholier in this business conc rn
is, or should be, interested in Sc.
curing capable men TO manage is
affairs, since It is evidently impos.
sible for each stockholder to be
present at all times.
Nor should It be overlooked that
the aforesaid corporation II business
concern IS rposed Of men of all
political beliefs and affiliations. each
one as much entitled as any other
TO say who shall be employed To
manage the affairs of this business
institution.
Now this commission plan recog
nizes these conditions. and Is intcrd.
ed to give every citizen ;stockhold.
err, regardless OF what his political
b,,!c' or affiliations NAV 5e. an op.
po;'unity TO say who shall be- en-.
p.oyed to look after his Interests IN
this establishment.
The commission plan had its origin
in the south in fact, II IS a child
of the south-where the predominant
political party is democratic. The
people OF those cities. where the
We're led to its adoption by a com
mon desire to correct the evils in
city management resulting from po
litical party rule.
Without reflecting upon any pre-
yious city administration. the peopl.
of Ardmore decided that they could
improve the management OF theil
business by adopting a commission
form of government. To this end they
selected a broad-guaged committee o
freeholders TO write a charter EN-
bodying this idea.
This was done and when sub
ritted to the people for considera
tion. was enthusiastically adopted
And now comes the strange part o
the story. Some of the gentlemen
who helped to write this excellen
charter, and many of the people VIII,
helped so zealously to adopt II. ar,
now trying with might and main Il
weaken, dsiigure, and PRACTICAL,
destroy this offspring and the chile
of their own adoption, by insisting
that the men and methods to be en-
ployed in the management of thi
WI p''"'iNh 90 Pip'iu'u III AH' Nldl
ter, must be left to the dictation o
a political organization
THE idea is absolutely foreign {,
the commission form OF government
This is not a political question
hence, the attitude OF no man on thi
question should be taken as a test O
his party fealty. No political part.
should be in danger OF disruption
by reason of an effort made BY an
considerable number of citizens +
better their local conditions. In thi
matter every citizen, be he demo
crat, republican, socialist or VIVA
not has a material interest. to III
extent OF his investment at least
and so, the paramount issue shoul
be. TO get a commission OF capabl
men from among the stockholder'
regardless OF creed or political faitl
who will serve us as employers sa
isfactorily.
AS a citizen and a democrat Nn
a limited stakeholder in this co