The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-19
EDITO RIAL
Buffalo q Agitation.

The city OF Buffalo, n. Y. is having an agitation
for q better form of municipal government The
{ New York Evening Post says that the present form
is 10 all intents and purposes that with which the
d little city started in 1882. Like many others, the
complaint is not that government under the ex-
listing plan has been particularly corrupt but that
it has been inefficient Hence the agitation for
u reform, which the New York paper says has pro.
crossed steadily and is granting strength despite
the opposition of both party machines and the
malign influences of various public service cor
porations and railways.
The appeal of the people is for the Des Moincs
plan and the proposal has twice carried at the
n polls.
But the Buffalo Times insists that in spite of the
result of the ballot, the people do not really want
the change. In reply to an article on the subject
from the New York Sun, the Times say:
1--WE assure the Sun that the people of
Buffalo are not thinking the pentagonai
commission plan of administration ser-
ously and vast majority of them are not
taking It at all One might imply from
what the Sun says that plurality Of the
actual voting population of Buffalo had
registered itself in favor of the Des Moines
idea. That is not So Technically the
commission plan did obtain a majority.
But the great mass of voters did not vote
on the question. So far as any real re-
Buffalo is concerned, there is no writing
on the slate. As to the bills which were
introduced in the Senate and Assembly,
nothing there has aroused, nor so far as we
are informed, has sought to arouse, them
from their peaceful repose."
The Buffalo Express is on the other side of the
question and stalwart exponent and champion
1 of the Des Moines plan. But the Times insists
that there has never scrap OF evidence been pro-
Z duced to show that system which has been
adopted in a few small cities, like Galveston or
Des Moines would work in city the size Of
Buffalo.
Ii further declares that the tendency, and very
properly So of the local electorate is to insist
the right of the people to elect more, rather than
fewer of their officials, and to extend, not narrow,
the privilege of direct representation.
You pay your money and take your choice be-
tween these conflicting statements and opinions.
The Buffalo Times may correctly express the
state of mind of the voters of Buffalo, but We
challenge and deny its dictum that antagonism to
y coyernment by commission ia of the growing
N elements in modern public opinion. Govern
ment by commission, that is to say the simplifed
form as expressed in the Texas plan and the Des
4 Moines plan is growing rapidly in fact and in
public favor and the complicated, two-branch, plan
DIS we have it in Virginia is becoming more and
more unpopular. In fact, an overwhelming ma
iority of the people long ago reached the conelu-
sion that it is intolerabe and they will abolish it and
adopt the simple form, as the Constitutional
restrictions are removed
There is strong sentiment in Richmond for the
commission form, evidenced by the movement
III Clay ward which promises to be citywide.
We confess, however, that We are somewhat
mystifed by the action of the Clay Ward Annex
League. The Council has power to create the
commission FORM rs they have it in Galveston, Des
B Moines. and other cities. The gentlemen who are