Evening journal., 1910-12-02
MODERN IDEAS
ON GOVERNMENT

he said, Is a necessity because ne 10 I
the only man that knows how 10 run |
4 city government; he can only. be
gotten rid of by simplifying the munl-
cipal government. The second point,
, said Mr.. Woodruff, Is that the com
mission form represents unity in our
municipal life, for the commissioners
represent the whole city and not only
the wards BY this means all log
rolling would be eliminated, he
thought. Now the city, as a whole,
receives little consideration, each
alderman working for his ward. With
commissioners elected at large, the
CITY. as a whole, would develope mar
, moniously. There is expert testi-
monv. said Mr.. Woodruff that this
: form results in a higher standard of
men being elected. Quay, he said,
who knew a little about practical
politics. objected to elections at large
in Pennsylvania because he coulun
pull through some Of the men, VINO
were easily elected by wards. Ihese
men, elected from boroughs, SAID the
speaker, when once elected nau as
much power as the men from larger
more responsible wards; $50
The third point made by the lectur-
er was that the commission form OF
/
the hands of a few responsible men.
Our forefathers, he said, had an idea
that government was more democrat
is the more officers they elected. lie
said the resulting long ballot mas
PLAYED directly into the hands OF those
who make politics a source OF pront
TO themselves. The number OF off1-
GERS had so multiplied, that the voter
could not Judge intelligently OF each
man. but had been forced to substi-
tute the Judgment Of his party for his
own Judgment, so that the man VINO
desired to be independent in thought
could not be so.
Loud applause greeted Mr.. Wood
rufus statement that he understood
the Civic Association had the express
purpose of eliminating state and ma
tional politics from municipal at
fairs. He asked them whether the
present city laws were so devised
that they could give force to their
views?
Mr.. Woodruff said there was no
magic in any form of government,
but there were some forms which
made il impossible for the ignorant,
negligent, or corrupt official to es-
I cape responsibility, and this was a
, Safeguards in Proposed System.
The safeguards which the commits
sion form held over the commission
; commissioners elected, said Mr. Wood
ruff, were first the power of recall,
D which had been exercised many
r times by state governors and state
o and national legislatures, and would
now be exercised by the people di-
: rectly. Los Angeles had tried this
effectively with its mayor. The sec
L ond safeguard he mentioned was the
adoption of the merit system, select
+ ing men only on the basis Of their
fitness for the duties, not because Of
any political service, and continuing
(, them i'm office during continued mer-
n it. The initiative and referendum
Il were the third safeguard suggested
Il by the speaker. though he said there
g was consider p1le difference Of opinion
y among scholars with regard to the
Il value. He said the idea was not new
- but instead of submitting a whole
body of laws, as in the days when
constitutions were submitted, now
one idea at a time was submitted tC
P the voters. Mr.. Woodruff spoke of the
: ignorance as to the meaning of initia-
r tive and referendum on the part OF
l. trouble to inform themselves, but said
It was some Socialist fad. He spoke
of the success in Oregon, where 80
questions were submitted to the peo-
= pie at the last election, and said il
was surprising the interest and intel
ligence displayed by the voters.
- Mr.. Woodruff described the old
idea of government as many represen-
tatives, with an elaborate system of
checks and balances; the new idea
as bringing the people into direct con-
, tact with the government, so that il
- actually was government by the peo-
d pie.
b, Mr. Woodruff emphasized the need
' OF adequate salaries to enable mu-
nicipal officials to spend their VIII ole
time at the work, which statement
T. the audience applauded vigorously. He
~ said the time had gone when peo-
Il pie thought the men would govdrn
al best who we're paid the least: that
. municipal government must be made
s. a career, giving men an assured po-
sition during good behavior and con-
t. tinued merit and on adequate pay.
o. He spoke of the German way OF
IS advertising in the papers for a mayor
h. stating all the opportunities and sal
a dIl OhtItus Inc present mayor OIL
= Berlin has been there fourteen years
re and was previously eleven years a
n mayor in a smaller city.
, Advocates Home Rule.
q Home rule I'm city affairs, was
strongly advocated by Mr. Woodruff
ss who had himself felt the injustice
m when he was in the Pennsylvania AS
\. sembly, of having representatives
: from other places have as much say
r in Philsdelphia's affairs as the repre-
sentatiyes from that city. He said
u things had gone so far that Boston
could not put in new light plant
[ without going to the State Assembly
& He said that the eastern cities did not
n have such a thing as home rule, and
! he advocated that the Civic Associa-
. tion stir up interest in this city in
obtaining the right to determine city
: affairs without going to the Legis-
lature about them. He said, "Whaf
. is there peculiar about the law, thai
gives gentlemen from Kent and Sus
Il sex as much a voice in the govern
ment OF Wilmington. as the gentleman
from New Castle?"
Mr. Woodruff closed with the ad
J. vice to the new organization to inter
4 oct ovnrx M ~ ~ fha cnf,, uaupftr, ~.