Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-11-07
THE COMMISSION FORM
OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
Continued from first page.l
dividual responsibility for executin
them.

dividual responsibility for executing
them.
Does it not Mean Real Representative
Government?
Second 1t is not a departure from
the American principle of representa-
tive government. On the contrary, it
is a return to that principle in city
government. Every citizen is repre-
sented by every member of the COM
mission. He has vote in their nomi-
nation and their election. Under the
old ward plan, every citizen votes for
the mayor and for the members of the
council from his ward ONLY. We have
two councilmen from each ward with
nine wards. That means eighteen
cOuncilmen. Every voter casts a bal
lot for ONE NINTH of the total men,
bership and NEVER has voice or vote
in the nomination or election of but
two Of them. What about the other
sixteen? They legislate for the entire
city; appropriate funds for the entire
city; levy taxes upon every citizen.
But the citizen does not have the op-
pOrtunity to vote even for majority of
them. Whatever the intent might
have been in the division of cities into
wards it certainly resulted in an effect
ual bar to representative government
for the people.
Commission government remedies
that evil influence in city rule 1t
does away with ward lines entirely
and makes the commissioners the
representatives of the whole city.
Every voter has and an equal part in
electing them and an equal claim upon
their services. His influence so far as
the vital feature of the ballot is concern
ed is just nine times more powerful in
city elections than it is where eighteen
cOuncilmen are elected under the old
ward plan, which provided for the
right to vote for only two.
1t must be apparent that a scheme
of City Government which enlarges
the exercise of franchise for every citi-
zen, cannot be characterized as a de-
parture from the spirit or the letter of
Representative Government, which
means so much to us ALL
Is 1t Not Good Investment?
Third. The objection of increased
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;
its neglect of public business; its ire
sponsible, haphazard system, which
prOverbially spends money for the
wrong thing and leaves nothing to
spend for the right thing, is the most
expensive institution in the city, al
though the Councilmen receive but
nominal salaries. The people are tax
ed to the limit but there is never a sur
plus in the treasury. No business man
in any city would permit his private
affairs to be conducted for moment
as city business is conducted under the
old ward plan. 1t would be too expen-
sive.
Commission Government provides
that ample salary shall be paid the
Mayor and Commissioners, in order to
insure the election of capable men.
But the best answer to the objection
that the Commission plan would en-
tail financial burden is found in the
results of the new rule in every city
where it has been thoroughly tested.
In Galveston, Houston, and Dallas in
Texas, and in Des MOines and Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, and in Leavenworth
Kansas, as we'll as in Eau Claire in our
state it has proved to be DIVIDEND
PAYING INVESTMENT.