The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-02
THE FARMER AND MECHANIC

to go on the ticket. ana tHe ieouI1
the next election is conclusive. Parry
nominations are not permitted, nor Is
anv emblem Flowed on n balloI
The names appear on the ticket IN a.
Dha betical order, With nothing to lndl-
cate the political leanlngS OF the can
didateS.
In practically all Southern cities
candidates are nominated in primary
elections held under the general elec-
ton laws, but participated IN only bS
members of the political party whose
candidates are being chosen. All Such
elections, however, must be held IN
the city as a whole. ward lines being
d~isregarded. The nominees Of the
several parties are then placed on n
ticket and the regular election IS de-
ciSiVe. That this system does not
eliminate partiSanShip is concedel 70
be the weakest feature Of the plan, as
it exists in the section where It aaS
proved most popular, ana there 5
reason to believe that the Des MoincS
idea will grow in favor as it's superior
ity is demonstrated.
The Preferential System.
What is termed the "preferentia1
system" has been offered as a solutI n
of the primary election problem. This
system, which is being tried in Grand
Junction. Col, calls for only one clac-
ton. This election is open to as many
candidates as wish to run, and the
voters are given the right to vote
first, second and third choice If.
for instance, 10 candidate for Mayor
receives a majority of the votes cast,
the 'second-choice" vote is added to
the total of the highest candidates =
the lowest being eliminated. If no
candidate then has q majority. the
th~lrd-chOice votes are added to tnc
whole and the candidate having the
largest total is declared elected.
h fear Of bringing about
conditions under which there
would be a multiplicity of
elections, has led to restrictions
in some cases. the number of
elections to be held upon ordinances
initi4ted by the people being, as a rule,
linitd to one in six months. Los An
geieS- though not a commission city,
has the initiative. referendum. and
recall, with practically nc restrictions.
and the abuse Of these privileges there
has been a warning to communities
having these popular features in con-
nection with the commission plan.
Abuses, however, in cities having the
commission system have been abso-
lutely unknown. In Dallas. Tex. 5 per
cent of the voters can initiate legiS-
lation. yet during the three years tina
plan has been in force there, only one
Such election has been held, and this
was in connection with a regular city
election, and added practically nothing
to the cost of the contest. Commits
sloners, being directly responsible to
the people. are, as a rule, responsive
to the will Of the people, and cleo
ions are rarely necessary.
Accomplishments.
what the commission form of gov
eminent has accomplished for the
cities where it has beer given a rea-
sonably fair trial, almost passes belief.
| Starting AT Galveston rooortlv tho
writer OllOwed the evolutiOns of the
system through Texas and into Iowa.
studying closely it's material results,
as Well as it's influence upon the civic
he of the community. AS a municip-
atty, Galveston was a financial, physi-
cal, and moral wreck before it was
laid low by the storm of 1900, that
claimed from seven to ten thousand OF
It's clt1ze2s. Laws for the suppression
Of gambling and other forms of vice
We're forgotten. Graft and incOmpe-
tence was 50 notorious and had been
so long endured that the people ac-
cepted 1t almost as a matter Of course.
The city had been plunged into debt
until 1t was hopelessly involved and
bankruptcy seemed inevitable. The
cost Of running the government reg
ularly exceeded the total by
Q 100000 annually, and the de-
flclt had been made up by repeated
bond issues. Interest on the bonds
had been forfeited. and the city was on
a scrip basis. The CITY Hall. the pub
lie schools. the fire stations. and the
streets were in Wretched condition.
1hen came the storm. and the wreck
seemed complete.
This was the crisis that gave birth to
the commission plan. and was the
condition that confronted the commits
sloners. Though the work of rebuild
ing Galveston and putting the bank
rupt municipality upon it's feet was
carried on by a special commission al
most from the start, it was nearly
two a before the plan as it now
exists was formulated, carried through
the legislature, indicated by the
courts. and formally and finally in
stalled. The commissioners restored
the credit of Galveston. rebuilt the
streets and public buildings, erected