The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-14
4 Pom, .renaI CITY Ge,rrnmen,.

\ lOe Ot presumably good men IN me
eity Of Buffalo want a new charter for
their municipality We do not say they
are wise men far from u; indeed. we
strongly suspect they are doctrinaires
and faddisis, hui they have been in
Ruential enough to obtain a plurality OF
votes in a referendum upon the qnes-
ton whether the Legislature should be
asked to give Buffalo a new charter
ombodyinR whaf s known a. the Des
Moines system Of municipal home rule.
The distinguishing feature Of This sys-
tern n the beasowal Of all the executive.
legislasive and administrative functions
Of local self- government upon a COM
mission Of five persons. We have be-
fore us q copy Of the bin by the enact
ment II which its advocates hope To
carry this scheme into effect. II IL
Senate hill No. -. and was introduced
In the senate by Mr.. Davis Of Erie
county. who presided over the commit
ere Of the whole in the Aids inve~,iga-
ton. IL was referred to the Commit
tee on Affairs of Cities and has there
remained dormant, greatly To the dis
gust of its supporters A similar hill in
the Assembly has Jared likewise
The measure 10 radical. not to say
revolutionary An the powers Of mt
nicipal government are conferred upon
a council % five. consisting 81 q Mayor
and four COuncilmen. The Mayors
authority IL practically little IL any
greater than that Of each ~ his ASSOC
ciates. although he ENJOYS a more dig
nifled title and rei-eivsS higher paw.
81. $40 a wear. a. against $3.50 apaece
for the nthsr~ Members of the council
are IN he elected for a term OG four
years. and II a vacanCv occurs the re-
naming members are To chOO~e u per
son To serve ont the unexpired term
The Affairs of the city are to he adj
ministered through five departments:
~ Public Affairs. p Accounts and
Finances. - Public Safety. a. Streets
and Publ" improvements and >,
Parks and Public Property The Mayor
IN 90 preside over the Department ~
Public Affairs. and the council il to
appoint the superintendents Of the other
departments from among its own
members. This plan evidently CON
templates that the five several members
II the City Council are 10 be- the heads
81 the five several departments % the
municipal government All the subor-
dinase city officers are 10 be- elected by
q majority vote of the council and NAV
b. removed from Office AZ any time bv
q like vote. Among those thus - b.-
chosen the charter specifies a corpora
tion counsel. superint endent ~ e1uca-
tion. assessor. city clerk. water commits
sioner. building commissioner. health
commissioner. chief of fire department.
chief II police. superintendent oT mar
ke,s. superintendent 81 the poor. citv
engineer. treasurer. auditor. and such
other officers and assistants a. shall be
provided for by ordinance and necss-
sary tn the proper and efficient conduct
Of the affairs NJ the city"
The council NJ FIVE or pentagon, as IL
may be denOminated for brevity. IL tn be
all powerful in the new Buffalo The
Mayor will preside over its dellberat ions
but in not to have q veto. The penta-
Ron may enact local laws in the form 81
ordinances % regulate the IIse Of the
highways. to promote and preserve the
public health. safety and morals. 10
benefit trade and commerce and 20
license and regulate such sorts Of bBsi-
ness ~ il NAV deem expedisnr ANY
ordinance may provide that any person
upon conviction Of a violation thereof
shall be fined or committed Tn the Erie
county penitentlary for such time IA the
court Officer before whom aich person
was convicted shall fix. not exceeding
six months Thus Buffalo house.
holder may he sent tn jail for failing to
clear the snow oF his sidewalk or for
seating carpets in his back yard. The
council Ia empowered u construct and
Jpersts n system N waGerworks and
Ichting plant II may establish pen-
>iOn systems for the police. firemen and
school Eescher-. and do anything ne,s-a-
sarv IN beauttiy the city or preserve or
add IN the safety Intelligence. comfort
and well being of tho city and its
inhabitants"
Most remarkable ~ all is the method
Of nomination and election provide,I for
IN the case II the five members If the
oounC1l Nominations ara Ia he made
solely nv petition. The candidate must
file a statement requesting that his name
be placed upon the official baIlOs.
which must be accompanied by a petit
ron 81 NJ least 1000 qualified voters
approving his candidacy The names
Of the candidates on the ofi~ial ballot
are 20 be arranged in the alphabetical
order OF their suInamea Nothing on
the ballot shal be Indicative Of the
aSlroD q the candidacy - Of thS Bup-