Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-11-23
reat for the Tax-paverg 10 bear

great for the Taxpayers to bear
Let Us see If these objections will
bear Investigation.
First The first objection arises
from a complete misund OF
what commission government means
and provides It does not increase
POWER-it increases RESPONSIBLE
ITY. The commissioners are, as a
matter Of fact, prevented from the
exercise Of such harmful POWERS a
granting important franchises; bar
tering public privileges that belong
TO the people, or filling the public
service with political friends to pay
political debts at public expense. by
ample safeguards of the REFEREN-
DUN and the civil service. The
POWER Of a dishonest official to re
main in office or one who uses his
position in any way to oppose the
best interests Of the city is also TAX
en- away by the wise provision Of RE
GALL. The POWER of the commits
sioners to defy public sentiment by
refusing to enact ordinances such as
people demand, is entirely eliminated
by the initiative
Yet the legal power and authori-
y to do all these things are not only
VESTED in the mayor and council
under the old ward plan, but they arr
often EXERCISED to the detriment
Of good government and at taxpayers
cost.
Commission government restores to
the people the right to vote upon all
public grants; to recall incompetent
or dishonest officials and to pass, by
popular vote, any ordinance desired
by the public, and while it gives this
additional power, 1T DOES NOT
TAKE FROM THE PEOPLE A SIN
GLE PRIVILEGE WHICH THEY
HAVE UNDER THE OLD WARD
PLAN.
The concentration of responsibility
should not be confused as meaning
increase of power. Commission gov
eminent simply re-enacts the old
statutes governing cities and de-
signates the individual responsible
ty for executing them.
Second. It is not a departure from
the American principle of represen-
tative government. On the contrary,
it is a return to that principle in
city government. Every citizen is
represented by every member of the
commission. He has a vote in their
nomination and their election Under
the old ward plan, every citizen
votes for the mayor and for the mem
ONLY. We have two councilmen from
each ward with nine wards. That
means eighteen councilmen. Every
voter casts a ballot for ONE NINTH
of the total membership and NEVER
has a voice or vote in the nomination
or election of but two of thin. What
about the other sixteen? They leg
islate for the entire city; appropriate
funds for the entire city; levy taxes
upon every citizen. But the citizen
does not have the opportunity to vote
even for a majority of them What
ever the intent might have been in
the division of cities into wards it
certainly resulted in an effectual bar
to representative government for the
people.
Commission government remedies
that evil influence in city rule. It
does away with ward lines entirely
and makes the commissioners the
representatives of the whole city.
Every voter has an equal part
in electing them and an equal claim
upon their services. His Influence
so far as the vital feature of the bal
lot is concerned is just nine times
more powerful in city elections than
it is where eighteen councilmen are
elected under the old ward plan,
" lICu p1ONluSu IOl IlG light ~ NOIS
for only two.
1t must be apparent that a scheme
of City Government which enIarg
es the exercise of franchises for E.
very citizen, cannot be characteriz-
ed as a departure from the spirit or
the letter Of Representative Govern
ment, which means so much to US all
Is 1t Not Good Investment?
Third. The objection of increase
cost in Commission Government
prompts the inquiry as to what the
people of any city can afford to pay
for good government. The old ward
plan with its reckless waste of funds
it's neglect of public business: its
irresponsible, haphazzard system
which proverbially spends money for
the wrong thing and leaves nothing