Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-20
RALLY IS HELD FOR
COMMISSION RULE
Iryington Citizens Meet to Dis
cuss ACCESSIBILITY of Change
in Town Government.

Espousal of commission form OF
government because of its provision
for greater home rule and the cen
tralization of authority in one man
rather than many was the keynote
of an address by former Assembly
man Charles e. Hendricksen, jr., of
Jersey City. at rally of citizens
interested in commission rule for lrv-
ington in the town hall last evening.
Following the address officers of the
commission league, which is to push
campaign for election in the early
spring, were elected as follows: Pres
ident, VIII c. Headley; first vice
president, Francis s. Green; second
e-president, H. c. Kline; secre-
tary, Edward Jacob; treasurer, Jo-
seph Walker.
Tracing commission form of gov
eminent from it's origin in food
stricken Galveston to its adoption by
three hundred cities embracing seven
millions of people, Mr., Hendricksen
declared it gives to the governing
body the best system of municipal
government yet devised. while to the
people it gives a surety of efficiency
and economy.
The speaker pointed out the alb
men and twenty-one senators in the
New Jersey Legislature to act intelli-
gently on legislation affecting indi-
vidual towns, as they must attempt
to do under present town and city
charters.
Commission government places
power in your own hands, where 1t
properly belongs. It's only limitation
is in the amount of, bonded indebted
al
Referring to the Capitalization of
power conferred under commission
rule, Mr.. Hendricksen instanced a
Jersey City case where a measure
was lost for many years in the thirty
odd departments requiring Its app
prevail, only to be dug out, sanctioned
and the improvement put under way
within a few months after the adop-
ton of the new charter.
Following the address general
discussion on the subject was had.
1t was emphasized by the speakers
that the movement in 1rvington Is
no reflection upon the present off,
! Gals. The object to be attained is
better tools for the use of the town
fathers.
Mr.. Headley declared the present
charter is Anticipated. While the Of
ficials are doing the best they can.
with commission government in
vogue they could do better.
1.-THE present system of government
is obsolete" averred Mr.. Green. "It
does not fulfil the demands of the
people. If commission government is
satisfactory elsewhere-and 1T has
never been rejected, onle accepted
why should we not have 1t in Irving
toni"
That commission government is the
one means of taking municipal af-
| fairs without the pale of party poll
tics was the conviction of Mr.. Jacob
IF a man bear his party tag he is
acclaimed as competent regardless OF
his qualifications. In business we
ask for qualifications not politics nor
religion. Under commission rule we
will follow the same course"
Mr.. jacob declared 1t makes nc
difference If the new system be more
expensive, because more efficient
work can be obtained. 1t is not for Q
/ moment to be expected, he declared
that it will materially reduce the taa
rate, but it will not place 1t higher.
Mr.. Walker expressed the belief
that in the long run commission rule
would prove the cheaper kind OF
government.