The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-06-07
lBy Beyerlg .. nodghead. Mayorl

has beer IN the process OF charter
making During that time the com
mittees and boards Of freeholders
chosen for tnat purpose have exam
lned and considered the forms and
merits oftthe different charters in
force in municipalities throughout the
unitet States with particular regard
TO tne needs Of a city Of the size and
Character OF Berkeley A charter is
only an aid to good government. Mu-
nicipal government IS more a question
Of men than Of constitutions or Of
charters, but that form Of charter
to be preferred which provides the
best method for the selection Of its
city officers and makes the wisest dis
tribution Of its powers
Berkeley finally adopted the form Of
charter, which, for lack OF a better
term, has been designated the com
mission plan as opposed to the fed
eral or bicameral system, The chief
features of the Berkeley charter are
l. The provisions relating TO cleo
tions which eliminate the influence OF
political parties and the political boss
in muEicipsl affairs
2. 'fne small council with large pow
ers and full responsibility
9. The abolition Of wards.
4. The ultimate veto in the people
3. The coordination and unifcatlon
of the administrative departments Of
city government
The Provisions for Elections.
The problem which the freeholders
attempted to solve, was to strike down
the power Of political parties and re-
move the pernicious influence Of the
boss from the city government. The
administrative affairs of a city are
business matter, rarely a political is
sue. The object, therefore. was to
provide method which would result
in the election Of business men. not
politicians, to office. The business man
has heretofore kept aloof from munich 4
pay politics and is unacquainted with
political methods. while the politician,
who is only concerned about his
profits, is skilled in the art Of getting
office The aim of the freeholders was
TO place the power Of selection in the
hands Of the non-political. or business
element OF the community and then
offer an inducement to the apathetic
or Indifferent business man which
would encourage him to exercise his
rights as a citizen. Men are sensitive
over the right of suffrage. To attempt
to deprive them OF It would result in
revolution, and yet they seldom ex-
ercise this right, and particularly, at a
primary
The Berkeley charter abolished the
party primary, the party convention
and all forms OF party nominations AMI
destroyed the influence of the political
boss, by providing that all nominations
for Office should be made by petition
only and that no party designation
should appear on the ticket, nor any
thing indicating the source Of the can
didacy The signature of twenty-five
qualified voters on any petition is suf
ficient for nomination The two can
dfdatoc t.hc ,ooof,-, ti,+. tt..h.~t .,,....
ber OF votes for any one Office become
the candidates, and the only candi-
dates for that office No person can,
therefore, be finally elected to any
Office who does not represent the
choice Of the majority Of the qualified
voters, each expressing his individual
preference for the particular candidate
Irrespective Of party Affiliations and
Influences
But how is the business man who
has been afflicted with political apathy
and unconcern to be induced to assert
his rights at the primary? Hereto
fore the business man has voted once,
that is. at the final election. The poll !
tician votes twice, not only at the elec- |
ton, but also at the primary. and the
choice is frequently determined by the
result of this first. or politicians cleo
ton The remedy is to make the first
Gelection not mere primary, but a
conditional election the Berkeley
charter does not restrict the first elec-
ton to the mere nomination Of candl-
dates. It is not called a primary at
all. 1t is called an election and does
result in an election should any can
didate receive a majority of the votes
cast for the Office When the nomina-
tion is open to all who care to be-
come candidates, and when any man
can run without even striking up an
acquaintance with political boss or
ward leader, 1t IS possible the candi.