Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-13


 Ths city of lfayefhiH Mass. @as the first Df New England cities t0 adopt tHH sNuplihaG form Df government fHa9 ls called government Dv com JH72zFlofa fine causes ti3sf led t9 tsis efa1se W form of government fbs provisions aH1 feat0fes Of iHA uayefAJi charter lts operation during fpe two years since iis adoption, certain criticisms an1 comments upon 3t 6nd An 1fi7a1afkas summary 9f it's value and ef11lef3@y wil bA given jn series of short afff~ eits 9f which this lS fpn nfst
 Ibe population 1f igAs eRa3A Dg Ens iasi neHsus is 444fS. lis government previous t0 tae adoption of f4A Hs@ chaftff Wae DH 4 mayor, A b18F9 pf seven aldermen, one from each Of Us se1eH wards, bnf elected Dy tsl4 votes 9f inc Nh9le elty. aHG fourteen eohp~ e'iW"r, t@o from each ward, elected DR the wards seFegailE JBe duties CT fhe boards Of aldermen 3Dd eD1nei2e men were divided 5JBpn% tHhnty~6Ye standing committees, 9Ed special com uitfeeS were appointed for tlH eGasld- efaflGH and transaction pf special in- tsresfs such Sc the erection of new pllDllo buildings.
 All members of the city government we're elected for a term of 2 sin9le year, and t Bas possible thst any election might bring Into ciY&e aH es3~ tiFeIy new body of officials. The school interests Cf tue city Wers under fbs care Of school board Df tWsDty-tWc members, consisting Of fbe mayor ek~ 0GloiD sn1 three members from each NaFJ elected by fbe wards for q three year term of off1es. Aeloe from it's presiding 0ff1esr being fne mayor, the school committee that eZDeuee 1n it's department nearly one-haf cf fbf money raised for municipal purposes VAS entirely disconnected from the city government and Has governed only by A.. Hr eF r f4F money that # might ezDeno in its de partWeHt. This body. too. was divided into very large number Of small com Inittees
 The evils arising from this form Of government were the same that nearly all cities having q similar form Of g0g- ernment have experienced. The sys~ tern of representation Dy wards was unfair because 0f the varying extent and numerical size Of the wards, ward Five. for example, being equal in popU- lstlon tO at least three Of the other wards Naturally each member If tss city government worked for the geo. tiOnsi part of the city whose votes had elected hina. Nomination being Dy Do- iitical parties, the guccsssfDi csnol6at te felt bound to prefer men cf hls own party for appointive ofTices ard to fla Vor measures that might strengthen the party whose representative ne was.
 The existence Of two chambers. @i- derlnsI and cOanciin1sn, sometimes crs- ated dcsGI0cks in the transaction Of important affairs; tte existence og many zub-coaaD5ttees divided respon- sibiity made Irregularities easily pos- siDie and enabled individual com nit- tees or individuals 10 gnift 70 others the accountability for measures and acts and the short terms Of office brought. sometimes, majority Of men Of no experience in municipal affairs .NF 4ETa-r Nz-Z ~zs F in governments.
 The large number Of members Of the city government each the nominee Of q political party and representing the Interests Of that party and a- section Of the c1ty. brought politicg and pol!t- icai methods. bargains, deals promises, combination very largely into the aS- nninistr3tion of city affairs- No policy Of administra tiob, however TlEe CT far seeing, could have permanency becaz gellsh interests could oyerturn if by electing their own agents to office. Under q. charter of this kind the gov ernment Of HaYeraiu was administered for thirty eight years. once ia it's history some of It's aldermen were con- Yicted of disa0negty and punished ty the courts. But it's officials have been like the officials Of other cities under similar charters. some good. some bad and many Of mediocre quality.
 The tendency on the whole under the old charter was 10 deterioration in the quality of the aldermen and council men. The honor that election 10 these offices carried had greatly legsened- aEc desirable men were largely unwIHfne to accept nomination 10 them. Bur while charges Of graft and bribery made. no proof of this, except in the instance mentioned, was brought into the open.
 When the new charter was advocated those who sought it's adoption distinct ly stated that their action was prompt d by the faults of the old charter and not the character of the city of7c1zls T. has been necessary 70 state t1 this article these fundamental <aults fn or der 10 show later how the new charter was adopted 10 remove them The lack of business method in the admlnistra- ton Of the city. the financial condition which was going from bad to worse and for which the changing city gov erum7!lrS seemed unable 10 find an remedy. had aroused some Of -he thoughtful citizens to the consideration of how the evils existing could re rem edied ar the source. and more able and better men induced to take the reSpou- abilities of office
 At a crucial time. three years ago. President Eliot o< Harvard unive-s.tv addressed a union meeting of tne mems clubs on government by comm Ission- He stated as cllarac-e-istic +zeficier- cles of the ordinary city government such as have been mentioned ia the COnsi iteration of the FavArhfu charter in this article. He declared that the d0ubls-headed organization should be abolished; that the personnel and the method of choosing municipal officers must be changed: that cities must ba r4r1- far=r-r4 r4 -rr--