The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-08
MOVING FORWARD.

pyrotechnio display that told the neo-
pio on thousand streets that the
cause OF good government had
triumphed in Mobile. and that the
oiticeholders who had defied the neo-
pies will had gone down in defeat.
For Mobile has at last voted in tho
commission form of government In
that city has been achieved what is
called by the Birmingham Age-Herald
Probably the most signal defeat Of
n!cermanio rule in any Southern city
within the past twenty-five years"
The JOY OF the people at the news Of
their victory WAS one of the most
significant things about the election.
1t gave evidence that the people de-
sire better government and that they
Will be more active participants in
st than heretofore.
Both sides We're we'll organized. The
element supporting the nldcrmanic sido
fought to the last ditch" The en-.
tire election machinery was in their
hands They challenged voters Who
have been voting for years in the
same wards they sent aides into TN
wards with law books in their hands
to spread the report that the checking
of voters on private lists was Illegal
and punishable by imprisonment In the
penitentiary. which report was COM
pletely false The challenge was re-
sorted to freely as weapon OF de-
lay--this being one OF the tricks in
vented by the gentry who support
boss-rule. All the devices and dece,ts
In the Kit OF the political ,rickster
were used by the aldermanic hosts
but this time they did not work. II
was too late 10 stem the tide of non
ular will The aldcrmanic canutes 81
Mobile could not order back The I'D
vancing billows OF ballots for pettar
government. t
Nearly ftty-two thousand people 1.-Two
In Mobile. In fact, this Norfo,l, ot
Alabama is SO far The third largest
city In the South to vote In the ,o,,.
mission form OF government The ~
suit there Is significant III IS a
cropping out above the surface Of q
municipal unrest that is spreading
over this country like an irrcslstihle
epidemic. Many people have looked
upon the commission form of govern
ment as political 1uacl1 remedy
have thought OF 1t as rather Wild
Western Idea which small towns might
use without npprcciable detrimcnt bur
which would never rise 10 the i'm
portance of being practical admin
lstrative system for large cities. Or
the other hand. the success with
which 1t has met in the smallest towns
has Justified experimental ton With i,
IN a larger. way as the system which
IN one form or another gives the best
promise Of solution for the dinlcult
problems OF American city govern
mcnt
Look over tho neld and discern INC
truth Of the situation. There is un-
rest in ali sections and Ia nearly all
Etatea. There Is Buffalo. the second
largest city in New York. Knocking in
vain at the door of the State Lesis-
lature for chance 10 vote on COM
' soNeIi'heht There IS Pitts
burg. with new charter modelled
after the commission form. which
charter is not by any means ,ybat
the people wanted but al any rate
Is concession TO popular sentiment,
Sixty seven unpaid officers arc leeis.
In tad D.. 10
''Se me pittsburg
siisie eodH Of nine
N'tH q salary Of
800. 80 pef" suos'it'ptfd' There is
,.x.ss 1" / S.l''iipr new eharte,.
s.,, 80 : = = i'"i''ihore' where the
a. Nisioh OF ne City
.,e.a, y ABOUT 10 he
oa.,a,, ''p' o''i'Se petween me
Z, a,,...-.,, - IT, ~ commission 'lisss1o form
a. Np''i'ns 'ne principle
49, 49, !iiiPartlHg some