The Delta independent., 1912-05-03
CITY MAY ADOPT CON-
MISSION GARMENTS
MOVEMENT SPRUNG SUDDENLY.
Charter Plan Has Been Suggested
and May Soon be Brought Re
fore Citizens by a Special
Election.

There ihas sprung up within a
week or two brisk commission
breeze, which seems to be blowing
Deltaward.
Perhaps the apparent inability Of
the present, as well as past city
governments to place municipal af-
fairs upon a to them or to the peo-
pie, entirely satisfactory operating
basis, has led to discussions which
bid fair to merge into a campaign
for charter form of city govern
ment.
Be this as il may. at least two
members of the city council 'have
made statements appearing to favor
such a procedure and are said to
have backed up their expressions by
their belief that such change
could be made to serve the city
with careful business management
at a saving OF several thousand dol
lars n year over present expenses.
Tho argument. as the IndepenG-
ent has heard 1t. is. mainly: That
charter elections be held as per re
quirement of law: that a charter
committee be chosen; that the char
ter itself be drawn particularly to
fit the requirements OF Delta or a
city its size. with due respect for
economy and containing the progress
sive clauses, providing a salaried
head. who shall be the city's execu-
tive agent. In other respects the
city employees would probably be
about the same. The recall would
be presumably provided for as well
as advisory meetings OF the citizens
to be held at stated periods.
Naturally. an outline of just what
the charter might provide. can be
but a guess at this time. The ad-
vocates of the change figure that
the city should have responsible
business maI ager. n man who should
be paid to give IL his whole time:
that in such way IL would be pos
sible to save thirty-five per cent
of the present cost of running the
city, and that the citizens them
selves would be better satisfied with
tho results.
A saving of thirty-five per cent
on present expenses-aside from in
terest payable-would seem to mean
about 5000 year, over and above
the salary of the city agent pro-
vided by the proposed charter II
that could be accomplished, Il
would be no small argument in favor
of the change.
But there are other arguments
which could be used, one of the
main ones being that a council, at
present without pay, does not feel
perhaps under obligations to do
much more than to meet and trans
act the necessary routine of bust
ness. With six or seven men, who
sud Alnly remember. IN the stress
of their own business, that IL is the
night for council m Getting and hastily
rush down to the city hall, ideas
are bound to confuse. There Is lit
tie studied planning and lack of
systemized effort on behalf of the
city or It's people. On the other
hand, It is argued, the business
manager of the city selected by the
people who had confidence in his
ability. would be ON the job all the
time and would be wholly respon-
sible to them for his administration
OF city affairs.
In this article the Independent is
but seeking to introduce the matter.
II It progresses and obtains the
sanction of both council and people,
there will be ample opportunity to
discuss anything in connection with
1t, for elections must be held, a
charter drawn and its final adoption
come before the voters of the city,
We are of the opinion, however
that the people of Delta would look
with favor on such n plan, satisfac-
torily carried out.
guurup lrrU cINI