Bisbee daily review., 1909-09-08
COMMISSION eoVERNM ENT WOULD PUT DOUGLAS ON SOUND BUSINESS BASIS.

(From Douglas Daily International
 There is a law in the statutes of Arizona which provides for what is known as commission government for munic palites The law was en- acted by the legislature three years. ago after 1t had been approved by practically every city official in the territory at that time The bill was or ginally prepared in the rough by Mayor Adamson, of this city, with the assistance of the membes of the city council at that time and of City Attorney Lockwood. After it's orig nal draft a good many changes were made at the suggestion of various city officials to whom it was submit ted throughout the territory. While the new city charter law was turned down by vote in th;s city and some other cities in the territory we yet believe that it is an excellent char ter law and if adopted would put the government of this city and other cit ies in the territory on much better business bass than at present un- der the old charter law.
 The great virtue of the new char ter is that it provides for the cleo tion of only the members of the city council and a mayor On these men are placed the entire responsibility of the city government, good or bad as it may be. All officers required for carrying on the city government are to be appointed by the mayor and council, so that their terms of office will depend on the efficiency of service rendered.
 This new charter law was drawn with the purpose of putting the cfty governments of the territory on a strictly business basis-the placing of the affairs of the c.ty in the hands of city council and mayor, just as incorporated company places its affairs in the hands of a board of directors. With such a charter the result would no doubt be the ehoos- ing of city councilmen and mayor be- cause of their special business Qual- ifcation rather than because of their being a democrat or republican and the elimination of politics from the city government would no doubt be desirtble to the great majority of our citizens. As a matter of fact the people of Douglas have never in the past allowed politics to influence them to any great extent in our city elections. Men have been voted for in the past because of the belief in Efeir ability for the positions to be filled, over their opponents.
 We believe it would be a good plan now for those in this city whC Relieve in the commission govern ment plan, to undertake a careful examination of the new charter law with a vie wolf determining whether there really is anything objectiona bIe or detrimental to a successful government to be found in it. Thi: should be done by a committee O our citizens chosen because of theii known interest in the welfare of thu city and without regard to their DO litical afiliation. Such committe' could be chosen by a mass meetin of our citizens after the proposition has been cons 'dered to that point.
 We believe that the new charte law is worthy the further considers ton of the people of Douglas. was voted down we believe beca IS the people did no- understand t true merit and at time when tn claim was r'dicu,ols'y made that was gotten up to serve some speeia interest in Doug.as-
 If the present law i5 found to ec' tain objectionable features, the
 Douglas should move in the matte of having this good law perfected.