Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-10-29

Charge OF Their Own Affairs.
q, R. Hornady in Savannah Press.)
While it is generally conceded that
tile commission form of government
has reached its highest state of de
at Des Moines, Iowa, |
where the initiative, referendum and
recall have been supplemented by the |
non-partisan election plan and the |
civil service system, several efforts
have been made to add Improvements. |
These attempts are interesting aside |
from the fact that they reflect in al
the ceaseless struggle of thel
American people to solve Alright the
problem of municipal government.
Boston is now attempting to sub
stitute something better for the re-
call, and the experiment is being
watched with interest by students oil
municipal government In all parts Of
the country Here the term of the
is fixed at four years, but %
secure a full term the incumbent
must conduct himself in a manner
pleasing to the people.
In the fall of the second year after
the mayor enters office, when the
regular state election is held in No
vember, tie citizens of Boston can, Il
they desire, have this question in
substance printed upon ballot for
use while the regular election is mi
Shall the mayor face an election
at the end of two years of service?'
If such an election is demanded,
then the mayor must run before tho
people jast as if his term was two
wears instead of four. If he is re-
elected then he serves out the full
term. If he is defeated, he retires
with but two years to his credit.
The Boston theory is that the recall
injects an element of uncertainty in
to the question of holding office
that might be harmful in it's results,
while the system they have evolved
makes two years a certainty and Of
fers an additional period of twoI
years if the service is satisfactory.
The plan is in the experimental stage
and the future must determine its
wisdom.
Colorado System.
Another development and one even
more novel has been adopted At
Grand Junction, Colo, and is known
as the preferential system 1t seeks
both to eleminate partisanship and TO
reduce TIE number of elections to
one. Under this system, the voters
have the right to express first, sec
and and third choice for candidates
for mayor and commissioner and the
result of the election is final.
A majority OF FIRST choice" vot IS |
is necessary for any candidate to be |
declared elected upon the first count. |
If no candidate receives a majority of |
all first choice votes poled, then
the lowest candidate for the office in
question is eliminated and the sec
ond choice" votes of the remaining
candidates are added to the total OF |
the first choice" votes. If a major
ity is lacking then. the third choice"
vote CT each candidate is added to |
the total Of the first and second |
choice votes, and the candidate reeeiv-
ing the largest vote is declared elect |
ed Thus, if John Smith received four
thousand first choice votes, three
thousand second choice votes and two
thousand third choice votes for MAYOR.
his total would be nine thousand. "
no other candidate received as maly
then John Smith would get the Of
fee.
The preferential system" is also
new departure and there is little 20
indie ate that it will spread very rap
idly. 1t is too complex, upon first
acquaintance, to make highly fay-
orab!e impression. Then, too. most
voters really want chance to vote
for the men who are to serve them
after the atmosphere has been clear
ed by the wedding out process when
attends the double election system,
Old Order Passeth.
Scarcely a month passes but some
city in the United States abandons the
aldermanic plan for the commission
system. Some seventy cities have
made the change up to this time and
about as many more have expressed
desire to do So In several states the
legislatures have made it possible for
the people to adopt the new system
at will, and wherever this rs true
changes are being made rapidly. Iowa
mas such law and practically every |
city OF any Importance in the state
has adopted the commission PLAZA.
What is popularity known as the .Das
MONIES PLAN is really the Iowa plan. |
1t is a legislative act, and any city |
OF 1000 or more people can adopt It's
provisions, the only difference being
that the smaller towns have two con-
missioners and a mayor, instead of
four commissioners. while the pay is
Texas has scarcely an important
town that is not governed under the
commission plan, and Oklahoma cities
have also fallen in line almost unani-
mously Muskogee has Joined the list
and the people there introduced a dis
tinctive feature I'm making the
change. While following the plan Of