New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-05-11
OBJECTIONS TO COMMISSION
GOVERNMENT.

- NoiNei'J t'Ni = WV II 'bNhS ehN
question is under discussion.
First-That is places too much
power in the hands Of few men.
Second-That it is a departure
from the American principle of
representative government "
/ Third-That it would prove
more expensive than the present
ward system.
Fourth-That it would be less
difficult to corrupt three or five
commissioners than to corrupt a
body of men as large as the ave-
rage city council.
Al of these objections arise
from complete misrepresentation
as TO what constitutes commission
government.
Commission government does
NOT increase the POWER of the
| city officials to HARM the people.
It merely INCREASES their RE-
/ SPONSIBILITY to SERVE the
| people.
The commissioners cannot grant
a PUBLIC FRANCHISE without
SUBMITTING it to a VOTE.
They cannot USE the city govern
ment to PAY POLITICAL
DEBTS. They cannot ENACT
ord inances NOT APPROVED BY
PUBLIC SENTIMENT, because
the people have the right of the
REFERENDUM. They cannot
! REFUSE TO PASS ordinances &C.
manded by the people because the
people have the right of the INIT-
.ATIVE. They cannot oppose the
Lest interests Of the municipal
ity or conspire with politicians to
defeat the purpose of city goNsrut
ment, because the people have
the right of the RECALL.
Not one of these safeguards are
granted under the ward plan.
The powers enunerated above as
being taken from -. commissions
ers and giydr 10 Tie people, are
all vested u ~ mayor and coun-
ell llader The old plan without
chsf a. hlndrance, except in a
efY.few cities that have adopted
~ 6itiative and referendum and
| As to the charge that a small
body Of men would be less diff
Guilty to corrupt than larger
| body of councilmen the argument
might be conceded were it not for
| thesfaet that commission govern.
ment take ample precaution for
protecting the people against dis.
honest men should they happen to
be elected The old ward plan
maks no provision to protect the
people in such eases.
| Commission government pro.
| vides for a system of MUNICH.
PAL ACCOUNTING that enables
the taxpayers to know the EN-
ACT FINANCIAL CONDITION
Of the city every three months
I'd IN addition provides for thu
DAILY AUDITING of the city,
counts. 1t also exacts a bonl
from the commissioners to pro
tect the citizens against loss from
inefficiency, neglect or dishonesty
on the part of the commissioners
The old ward plan makes no suc}
provisions.
Real Representative Government
1t is NOT departure from tn
American principle Of repre-
sentative government. On tn
; contrary, it is a RETURN t.
; that principle in municipal gov
eminent.
EVERY CITIZEN is represent
ed by EVERY MEMBER Of tn
commission. He has vote il
their nomination and their elec
E ton. Under the ward plan ever.
citizen votes for the mayor an
: for the members of the council
from his ward. In Kansas, 70
ms ance, there may be TW(
councilmen from EACH ward
!. and, in some of cities, six wards
That means IL councilmen. M
VOTER has a voice or vote in tn
nomination or election of bu
TWO Of them.
What about the other ten9
They legislate for the entir
city, appropriate funds for tn
z ENTIRE city, levy taxes upol
r EVERY CITIZEN. But the CIT
|, IZEN does NOT have the oppol
| tunity to vote EVEN FOR
/. MAJORITY of them.
r Whatever the intent might hay
been in the division of cities int
wards it certainly resulted n a
4 EFFECTUAL BAR to represents
; tive government FOR THE Pee
/ PIE. -
nj Commiss on government rem
= EDIES THAT EVIL Influence i
!. municipal rule. It obliteratt
ward lines entirely and makes tn
{ commissioners the REPRESEN
= TATTVES Of the WHOLE cit.
L Every voter has an equal clail
. upon their services. His infll
] ence, so far as the vital featul
!. of the ballot is concerned, is ju!
six times more powerful in mi
= nicipal elections than it is wher
9 II councilmen are elected undt
q the ward plan.
& 1t must be apparent that
caba ana &c n.x-,a ,.,,1a urhtob al