The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-16
Samuel Gompers, President Of
American Federation Of Labor,
Emphatically Endorses New
Plan in Preference to Old
Aldermanic System Of Ward
Representation.
w. D. Mahon, President Of ANAL
gamated Street Railway En-
ployes, Who Knows Something
of Evils Of Present System Of
Government Gives Plan His
Endorsement,

Where do the workingmen of Du-
luth stand on the commission form
of government? The opponents Of
this form will resort to every subter-
fuge known in politics to prejudice
workingmen against the proposed
charter. They will protest against
What they are pleased to call a
business mans government" and
on the other hand they win plead for
it's defeat by appealing to class preju-
:dices.
: The proposed city charter is prob
ably the most fundamental demo-
cratic document ever presented to the
people of any city. It was drawn for
the purpose Of correcting those evils
under our present system Of local gov
ernment which have made it posi-
BILE for corruption, extravaganza and
other like evils to thrive.
Union Labor Is Foremost.
AS matter Of fact union labor the
country over has been foremost
among the advocates of the commits
sion form of government. Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, declares en-
phatically for it and holds, when
fortified by the initiative, referendum
and recall. it is much more preferable
to the old ward aldermanic represen-
tative system of municipal govern
ment
In most American cities where the
commission form of government has
been established representatives of
labor played no small part In draft
ing the charters and the working
Gated their passage.
Service On Commission.
The editor of The Labor World was
member Of the commission which
drafted the charter that is now before
the people of Duluth. While work.
ing upon the charter he took occasion
to write to the secretaries Of state
federations of labor and central labor
unions in all states and cities having
commission forms of government to
ascertain just how the workingmen
there were disposed toward this new
form. His reports are not only in
teresting, but enlightening.
James Mathews, secretary of the
United Trades and Labor council of
Patterson, N. Y, writes as follows:
We have commission form OF
government in nearly all the large
cities in the state, due generally to the
activity Of the members of labor or
ganizations''
John J. Nichols, secretary of the
Trades and Labor council Of Niagara
Falls, N. Y, says that organized la
Dor there is attempting to get the
| commission form of government and
has the following to say about it:
Graft Is Rife.
I'VE have in this city the old re.
gime of boss rule government of the
worst kind. Graft secures the only
government that is known here. We
have commission government So
ciety which is working to the end of
government by comission, but are un-
able to get an act passed by the state
legislature to grant us even a. vote
upon 1t. We are governed by a
mayor, common council, which con-
sists Of ward aldermen, one from each
Of the 13 wards, and a president of
the council elected by the entire city.
The board of public works and DO
lice and fire commissions are appoint
ed by the mayor who is the head.
There is not single union man on
any board and we could not get any
appointed by the present mayor"
Alfred D. Cridge of Typographical
union No. So, Portland, Ore, says that
organized labor has indorsed and put
before the people short charter that
provides for commission form Of
government and It will come before