The Detroit times., 1910-02-23
Says SHORT BALLOT
IS CURE FOR ILLS
Clinton Rogers Woodruff Tells of
Advantages of Electing Only Chief
Municipal Officials.

| That American local government Ia
largely failure or account OF the
long ballot" was the view taken BY
CLINTON Rogers oodruff, OF Philadci.
phia, secretary OF the National Muni-
cipal league, in his address on Demo
cratic Simplicity In Elections befora
the Detroit Municipal league, in the
}. NJ. {. 4. banquet hall. Tuesday
evening. Through the lack OF respon.
slbiiity brought aboir by the election
Ici hord. OF public officials al one
election. ne declared that the evils OF
party rule and bUssism are inevitable
HIS remedy was the short ballot"
This syStem requires the election of
only the most important officers. all
others being appointed. lie argued
mat this works on; TO center respou.
@bility OH the few elected official.
C'vil service must accompany this re-
form TO make IL elective.
In opening, Mr.. Woodruff apologlzed
Tor appearing In business suit in.
stead OF evening dress. explaining THAI
fis wife had taken the key to MS
trunk with her. On a previous Visit
here he had los; his purse. Still. he
likes the town.
we nave government by the bose
and, all too often. for the bosses said
Woodruff. We have boss government
because OF our election system. Both
tossism and the intrusion of national
PARTIES in municilal elections are due
to the long ballot The average vote r
=, ants TO Le discriminating but il y
practically Impossible for him TO SO.
rect the pest men III a great list. TIE
boss picks OFT a slate. like a bundle or
faggOts. The voters may break one
or TWO OF the fagao;s but the most OF
the bundle remain.
lie reminded Ine gentlemen presen.
that they mad he'd C have a nominal
ing committee 10 hep them select five
men for directors 81 their league. An
Assisted Democracy" was the title he
gave TO the rule OF politicians. He m
stanCed ne fact that voters in one
city had 10 vote on candidates for II
Offices. With two elections year,
beside PRIMARIES AMI registrations. lac
pronounced the system bad
.cf participation OF the people in the
government. making II impossible for
them 10 do their part" he said. Tho
voters have To have the assistance or
someone. The politician comes as the
result OF = real neeG. You need him
To run tae machinery-or the ma
chine. What is far worse. YOU come
to vote for party labels instead or Tor
men.
People can be interested in only
one or TWO things az time. When
you increase the number OF objec :,
YOU decrease the attention. The real
reason that the commission plan 81
government has been successful ~
that il centers the responsibility on a
few men. They are right there doing
business in the bright light OF pub
licity. The ward rian OF electing Of
ccials is absurd
The speaker declared that the ma
uonal government Is more responsiv =
10 public opinion than local govern
n.ents. New Jersey. where judges
have ALWAYS beer appointed, has
always had excellent judges, he said,
because the governor was responsible
lflI lUt DtltAllOis itC abNoa"NtN ~"
appointment OF all minor officials IN
state. coanty and city by the few
really responsible officials upon whose
election attention is concentrated
.ocal government Is better I'm Great
Britain. the British colonies AMI
Switzerland than H. the United States,
he said, because few officials are
.ected.
In response to question, he ie
clared the budget OF a city should De
p.epaHed by the mayor instead Of %
an elective board
In the annual meeting which pre-
ceded the address Of the evening, j. l..
Hudson. Wilbur Brotherton and George
Johnston were reelected dlrectoft.
while F. > Garrison and +. :.
Wheeler we're chosen TO fill vacancies.
treasurer James H. Mcdonald sub
rlltted a report showing balance of
1917 so. The league had expended N
the year sI.346.Sl. IF which $500 was
Tor salaries, s637 fol the school board
campaign, $3.50 for legal advice. anu
s;G.lO for he diatting of home rule
bill by Dcios A. Wilcox. former see.
rotary.
j. H. Hudson presided and spoke IN
favor of the election OF G school board
al large instead CT by wards