The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1913-09-25

were now in control looked around for the best means Of making the results
Of the ehcdoRPf 1910 permanent that is, Of keeping the existing machine out
Of politics and forestaning any similar organization. The leaders at once took
up the Short Ballot idea and made it the first specific plank in their plat
form. Governor Johnson emphasized it in his message and put his influence
without great difficulty.
Three Of these respectively removed from the ballot the State Printer the
Clerk Of the Supreme Court and the members of the Railroad Commission
This latter board had been made elective years before SO that the people,
could control it, Resut.-The commissioners were hidden away among forty
to fifty other officers on the ballot and for a generation devoted themselvesl
exclusively to the neglect Of their duties and the drawing Of their saaHes
The fourth Of these California measures gave the people power to apply
their local needs. Within less than year under this new right the county oil
Los Angeles adopted an instrument under which there were cut or at 81
stroke. thirteen of these petty clerical omces, which had been the center oil
so much ildirected party activity and inemciency. It was provided that inl
future they should be appointed on the basis Of merit and not for party serv
ice. The county supervisors were given real control over the machinery
Of organization just as in the commission plan cities.
Another State which has made progress toward the Short Ballot is Ohio
In preparation for the constitutional convention which met in that state
last year. the Municipal Association Of Cleveland prepared a most careful
analysis Of the State government and proposed a measure which would
remove from the State ticket the minor executives, including the Secretary Of
state treasure Auditor Attorney General and Dairy and Food Commits
sioner The favorable way in which the measure was received led its friends
to suppose that it would be submitted to the people, along with the forty
other progressive proposals When, however, it was brought o a vote it was
found that fortyseven Of the one hundred and twenty delegates were opposed
to submitting this proposition to the people Their cry was. 1T will give
the Governor toe much power" CThey were not opposed to giving exactly the
same amount Of power to the irresponsible party boss" who had actually
made the appointments to minor State Offices under the long ballot sysem)
The defeat Of the measure disappointed the people and last fall all three
political parties in Ohio went on record in favor Of the Short Ballot in their
In the spring of 1918 the friends Of the measure made t more complete by
adding amendments to make it possible for the people Of the several counties
to adopt a Short Ballot form Of county government and providing that repre-
senahves to the Legislature should be selected singly by districts instead
Of in big lunches by counties.
When the Legislators assembled this spring and the proposition was put
up to them in concrete form. many of them repudiated both the party promises
The Short Ballot bills Will now be put before the people by initiative.
Michigan went through a similar experience last Mareh. There the Senate
voted unanimously to submit to the people a proposition to apply the princt
uves, however, defeated it,
The opposition in every State is the same:-on the surface the contention
that it would "oentrahze" power too much; deeper down the petty officials.
people I'LL the omoes"
wei, the cure for that is more light
THE END)