Evening journal., 1911-01-31
METHOD OF FILLING OFFICES.

" ARlOUS views about the so-called progress
siye movement show some paradoxes. In one
way the movement is to give the people larger
voice in governmental affairs such as there would
De with the initiative and referendum, and yet on
the Other nand, some phases Of the movement
show a disposition to take power from the people
A general Public Utilities Commission bill is
before the Legislature of Kansas and il will prob
ably be enacted. This bill provides that the Pub
lie Utilities commissioners shall be elected by the
people. That seems TO have right sound. but note
the other side. The Kansas CITY Star, Colonel Mel
sons newspaper. which is generally considered the
chief organ of the progressive movement in the
west thinks that the election of the commission
ers would not give the commission the largest as
surance Of success.
The Star points out that those Utilities Com
missions which have proved most useful are an.
pointive-the National Interstate Commerce Com
mission, the New York and the Wisconsin com
missions. Ii declares that the appontive com
mission oentralizes responsibility harmonizes ad-
ministration of the State government and short
ems the ballot There is much agitation for the
short ballot in the West
The Star continues that it the appointing
power tthe Covernor) is corporation-controlled
his appointments are likely to be poor ones. And
then the Star adds the oft repeated truth that no
scheme OF government can relieve the people of
the duty TO elect good men TO Office The Star
thinks that they can fulfill their duty better by
having one man TO elect rather than half dozen.
In other words the people should concentrate
their attention on electing a good man for Gov
ernor and a good man for Mayor and then quietly
wait for this good man TO make fine appoint.
ments. Of course that would make the issue plain
TO every voter. The voters however would win
all or lose all
They might elect an undesirable man as Cover
nor and at the same time elect Public Utilities Com
missioners who would not be under corporation
control.
The Star, we presume would hold that increas-
ing the number of sppointive Offices would not
really be taking power from the hands of the peo-
pie, but in fact concentrating such power in that
the people could solve the entire problem by elect
ing good men for positions which carry with them
many appointments.
In Delaware in most other States, we have
had combination system OF primary nominations,
elections and appointments, together with the in
direct method of nominating by county conven-
tions.
we're filed by appointments made by the Cover
nor and under that plan the Governor had at hand
the means for building up political machine.
Today the Governor has fewer appointments. And
yet not many would say that the Court House
officials under the elective system have not been
as good those under the old appointve plan
We do not think the prospects of a useful Pub
lie Utilities Commission, the members Of which
would be elected by the people would be seriously
impaired if the commissioners should be elected
by the people instead OF appointed by the Cover
nor or the Legislature