Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-05-01

trio light plants, street railways or
other public utilities is one upon which
there is and must be a difference of
opinion. And the only form of cleo
ton that will enable the people to
settle these questions and settle them
intelligentIy will be such as enables
them to express themselves in groups
formed according to the policies advo-
Gated by the groups. And the form of
ballot that will enable the voter pat the
polls to quickly and accurately express
his purpose must be one that has some
designation other than an individuals
name.
Is not this necessity perfectly OBJ
vious? For example, a certain idea
is advanced by citizens ii given COM
munity. Weeks and months are
spent BY its advocates in bringing the
idea to the attention of the people and
explaining it to the voters. The idea
gains support, peoples opinions are
formed, conclusions are reached, con-
and policy. Then comes the election.
People go to the polls desiring to ex-
press their preference for this policy.
Suppose they are confronted by ballots
on which appear only the names of
certain individuals, as proposed by
these commission charter reformefs :?
There is nothing on the ballot. no dis
tinguishing mark, that connects these
men with the policies which the rep
resent. Is it not obvious that that
kind of ballot fails to supply the voter
with the information he needs at the
most critical point?
1t may very easily happen that GER
tain individuals may be prominent in
the advocacy of certain ideas, while
the actual candidate put forth may be
less prominent. The name of the in
dividual therefore, is not a reliable
guide to the voter. In many cases it
may be no guide at all.
2. Local issues In a municipality
also involve state and national issues,
and therefore require that state and
national party organization and voting
be permitted. Our second objection to
the non partisan election il that it de-
stroys the power of the people in their
state and national fight for local relief.
On this point we quote the report of
the committee for the commission form
of government made to the last con-
vention of the Socialist Party at In
dianapois, Ind, May. 1912:
There is hardly a serious problem
Of municipal government that can be
solved at all aside from state and
national movement. Take that ques-
ton of home rule. Here in the very
nature of the case the city is power
less in the hands of the state legisla-
ture. The fight for home rule itself
is state and national fight. Take the
question Of the commission form of
government itself-it has been an issue
for state legislation very largely. Or
consider some of our commercial and
industrial problems. The real difficult
ties that concern people. in city,
involve state and national issues. For
example, the supply of coal for city
what can any city in America do on
a problem of that sort without state
and national action? The city may
establish a coal yard. But that is only
the merest fraction of the problem
The coal must be shipped to the city
over railroads that are owned by the
monopolies and trusts. The trans
portation Of the coal becomes pro-
blem for interstate commerce. Thus
the most elemental problem of the city