Arizona republican., 1913-10-28
Casting Off the Partisan Yoke


 The idea of non-partisan municipal government which The Republican is advocating is gaining friends wherever attempt O in telligent. efficient administration city affairs. The honest business who enters politics finds himself hampered sides by party influences. The engineer. anxious make a record for satis- factory and economical construction work, finds that such progress as he could make a private job, with the right hire fire absolutely of the question long the party boss controls the jobs the city. Louis HeatOn Pink of New York City, a gentleman who early recognized the need for on-partisan methods contributes the following to the last issue of The Outlook:
 Who appointed you fellows, anyway? What right have nominate anybody? That's what I'd like know thundered elderly and ordinarily good -natured, but for the time being much ruffled, Republican. It the morning after the selection John Purroy Mitchell the Fusion candidate for mayor by the citizens municipal com mittee, popuarly known the committee of 1o7.
 T was somewhat flustered by the onslaught, and it took some moments to remember what. any. rights committee had
 Self constituted. yes.
 'Undemocratic, yes
 Necessary yes. Our only justification.
 There had be a strong central force to bring into line the diverse from harmonious, e,e ments that make the 1egions opposed to the Tiger.
  abIest best qualified and strongest. The utmost care was given the selection of fit for the judiciary and the board of estimate The county offices have been handed pacify, far as possible the bowling, the dissatisfied. and the rampant, but here district leaders and hack politicians have the part tabooed. Party leaders warned that their candidates measure up.
 The candidates selected by the committee make the strongest fusion ticket ever put nomination ir the city New York
 national politics shall be divorced from city affairs is the aim of all who have the welfare of our cities at heart For twenty years Mayor Gaynor urged this thing. It is of importance whether the mayor the sheriff the coroner is 9 Republican or a Democrat or a Progressive. It is vital that in casting ballot we consider economy schools, health playgrounds docks. transit. and the qualifications the candidates.
 Few American cities have succeeded in freeing local politics from the national yoke Cambridge Mass has come nearest. Since 1867. with lapse years citizens committee has made up the local ticket without reference national poli tics. Like committee of 1O7, the Cambridge committee has been sef-constituted-a butter in. Yet Cambridge is said by many to have the best government of any city in the United States.
 At the last session of the New York legislature the direct primary the main issue Before a genuine direct primary adopted it will be
 
 cerned. The that created the fusion mittee have. in local matters, sounded the death knen the direct primary The primary deals only with the selection of candidates within party.
 Municipal affairs getting out from under the party yoke. On local issues there is to be increasing difference O opinion within the party ranks The fact to be determined is no longer which man the enrolled members of the Republican party, the Progressive party, want head the ballot whom do the of the city, irrespec tive of national party affiliaon carry the standard? With present election machinery fusion of forces good government without some voluntary committee guide and steer would be close to impossible.
 The likely substitute for the self-con- the preferential
 "The first is working in Los Angeles Grand Rapids and several small cities governed by mission The second is in operation in Cleve- land, under the charter. adopted July l.
 "The strong point in a voluntary citizens nomi- hating committee is that it out of existence when is done. It leaves it's candidates free to work job along the lines of the plat form promises. It perpetuate itself a hunting controlling machine building body. It's fatal weakness is it's lack of democratic origin. A self-created body give satisfaction in