The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-30

the following favorable expression Of
his views ON the commission form uf
city government. a.,
THE commission form Of city gov
ernment, protected by the initiative,
referendum and the recall ought to
operate in the: interest of the people
in greater degree than the old form
Of city governments + In some of the
cities adopting this: form of govern
ment, active trade uaionists have been
selected as, commissioners and they,
I'm the official dischtssfge of their duties
have had a great influence in secur-
ing for the labor employed by the
city an adequate wage for:their labor.
For the Good of All.
when the people of any city have
been given the opportunity to initiate
needed legislation, with the provision
that the people themselves shall ap-
prove or disapprove Of it, it seems to
me that whatever laws are enacted in
the city would conform to the best
conception of the people as a whole.
The right to recall a city official
whom a certain per cent OF the peo-
pie In a city deem to be recreant to
his trust, is a safeguard which ought
to protect the citizens of any city from
the Vaccinations of corrupt. officials.
and places a remedy in the hands of
the people, which can be applied
whenever the occasion warrants
AS general proposition wherever
a city government is conducted by
the direct will Of the people and ma
chinery provided whereby this will
can receive concrete expression, there
can oe no doubt but that abuses in
almost wholly eliminated"
Fresh Breeze from Texas.
e.: W. Woodman, secreta ~ Of the
Trades Assembly of Fort Worth.
Texas, and editor of The Union Ban
ner Of that city, declares that labor.
has been the great beneficiary uf the
change of government in his city and
writes Interestingly as follows:
Il served on the committee that
framed our commission charter and.
being chairman of our grievance COM
our city government.
You Say in your letter that the
only feature that created any criti-
cism is the change from the old ward
system, electing, I presume, all elec-
tive officers at large.
This is an advantage to the men
of labor. Under the old ward system
1t was much easier for the enemies of
organized labor to elect it's men.
Electing all men at large, all candi-
dates cater to labor, it holding at all
times the balance of power. Under
the old ward system We found our
men located in but few wards
strong enough to have majority.
My invariable reply to questions
concerning commission form of gov
ernment, changing from the ward to
electing all candidates at large, is, If
the charter contains the initiative.
referendum and recall, much bet
ter form Of government for our peo-
pie.
1--WE have just merged from a very
hot city campaign; all candidates
pledged themselves to our measures,
something never heard Sf. under the
old FORM" ,.,
Sacramento Labor Approves.
Frank Cooke, secretary of the Fed
Grated Trades Council Of Sacramento,
CAL, is a warm advocate Of the COM
mission form. He says that the char
ter of Sacramento, is considered very
progressive. Tt Is modelled to some
extent after that OF Berkeley. It has
only been in effect since July, but
great improvement has been noted iii
the administration of the.affairs Of
the city. Organized labor here took
the lead in advocating the new form.
P. M. Kerhom, IS secretary Of the
Trades Assembly Of Greenville. Texas,