The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-14


port ~ any cmndidnas. No ballot ahAli
have pTtntsd thsrson any party % polit-
lral de-lGnafisa ~ mark. and thsFs shali
M, he appended 81 the name of any oaR-
didaie any @ach PARTY Or political daa,g-
nation or mara or anything Indicating
hi@ views or opinions The ofiirial
ballot ~ what IL callsd n preferential
form. the elector being instructed by
directions printed upon IL ~ foliOws:
Vote your fir-t choose in The ARA COL
umn: vote your Second choice IN tho
second column: vote any other choice
in tho third column: do not vots moro
than one first. one second and ono third
CHOICE for Mayor; vote ~ many first,
second and third choices for Council
men ~ there are Councilman 10 he
elected
Another novelty IN this BnRalonian
charter. - far a. the law or New York
- concerned. ~ provision for the
removal " any municipal elective officer
upon a petition signed by voters equal
in number 40 Is per cent. of the votes
cast for Mayor NJ tho las; previous
elecfiOn. new election must there
upon he held to filI the oFice for the
unexpired term of the incumbent. who
may. nevertheless. himself be Candi-
date. The same percentage Of voters
may also petition the City Council to
pass any ordinance which they see III
tO propose, and IL the council omits
~ enact il without alteration within
twenty DAYS IL must he submitted -
the people for adoption or rejection
bv a popular vote. Here we have both
the recall and the referendum in the
balde~' form.
We have given a sufficient statement
of the contents Of this extraordinary
measure tO show that IL is n startling
departure from the standards and ideals
Of municipal government thar have hith-
erto prevailed in this State The Classi-
'fCation Of cities provided for in the
State constitution indicates that the
trainers 81 that instrument con'.m-
plated certain degre. ~ uniformity IN
the government Of the cities Of each
class The Legislature has enacted a
general Jaw relating 10 the govern
ment Of cities Of the second class which
works veTv satisfactorily. There are
only three cities sufficiently populou-
TO belong T., the first class New York,
Buffalo and Rochester. There are diff
ferences in local conditions which JUS
tify differences in their charters. bur
none that warrants the introduction of
political fads and fancses in any one Of
these municipalities which will make
that particular city and the whole State
ridiculous.
IL must not be forgotten that the State
has an interest in the government Of its
great cities and that all the people in the
state will suffer more or less II the in
habitAnts Of Buffalo insist upon making
fools II themselves. The fact. therefore.
that a small plurality % BuiYalonians
have fndi-ated a preference for a silly
charter ought not 10 he conclusive with
the Legislature Home rule il a good
thing within bounds. hut il NAV be
pushed too far in the pursuit Of folly.
The Legislature should NOT give Buffalo
charter which IL characterized by
features thar the Legislature itself
di-approve-. and IL cannot approve the
charter we have discussed unless IL
in prepared tn sanction the recall the
referendum, and the complete oblitera-
tion II all party influences in municipal
elections and government
Herr in New York We have not vet
quite reachssl the conclusion thar these
radical changes would really constitute
reforms We prefer IN watch tho ex-
detrimental tests in DsS MoineS ami Gal
weston y little longer
Buffalo should he compelled tn wait
a while for It's government by blocks
Of five.