New Ulm review., 1913-11-05
SHALL WE CHANGE?

SHALL WE CHANGE?
It has seemed to us q good thin
to reproduce in the Review column
some OF the arguments, both for an
against the Commission form O
government. as they we're given b,
the members Of the debating team
last Friday afternoon at the Higl
Sckoo. literary. They will prove in
teresting reading to any of our sub
Scribers who are interested in affair.
OF public moment and will offer som,
information on a question that i:
sure to come up in this city before
very long. Miss Beata Krook was
the first speaker for the negatives
and she gave her arguments agains,
the commission form of government
as follows:
Before going any farther into this
debate we must clearly understand
what is meant by the Commission
form of government. The two es.
sential features of the plan proposed
by the affirmative are, lst. "A small
body elected. at large to govern the
city and End, Both the executive and
legislative powers are combined in
the same body The affirmative must
prove that the success of the commits
sion form Of government, where 1t
has succeeded, is due to these two
essentials and not to the "Initiative,
Referendum and Recall" as is com
monty thought. These latter reforms
are frequently found along with the
commission form Of government but
are not essentials and are Just as
frequently found with the old mayor
and council system. We must fur
ther remember that this is a local
question, limited strictly to New
Uim. We insist that the affirmative
show clearly that the conditions in
New Ulm call for change and give
specific instances where the present
system is not. satisfactory. We do
not insist that the present form is
perfect but we do insist that it has
proved elninently satisfactory in
New Ulm.
In taking up the argument for the
negative we will convince you that
the Commission form of government
is, 1st, Unnecessary, End, Undesir-
able, and 3rd, that because it was
adopted in other cities is no reason
that it should be adopted in New
Ulm.
The commission form of govern
ment is undesirable for New Ulm,
first because the present system Of
Mayor and council has proved emin-
emily satisfactory here. Mr.. Buehr-
er says: "The present system of May
or and council is by far the best,
a truly American plan, and the evils
New Ulm has can not be remedied
by change to the commission form.
It is step backward and would not
make new aristocracy." Mr.. Liesch
says: "If yoa don't get experts your
plan is no better than the present.
And you can't get experts for moth
ing" Mr.. Steinhauser says: "There
is nothing in particular to be said
against the present system as it
works out in New Ulm. The pres
ent system is in accordance with our
American idea Of representative
"If you want representation you
must elect and if you want skill you
must appoint" says Morrell Smith
Of Iowa State College. In most
cases it is much better to have the
Mayor appoint the skilled men.
If you are afraid of corruption in
this system you must see to it that
the right kind Of man is elected to
be mayor. How can the common
laborer know who is skilled and who
is not? People naturally take more
in the government when
they are represented in it.
In the second place, the executive
and legislative functions must be
kept separate. This is one of the
American principles and
one of the essential features of a
representative government. The af-
firmatives propose to do away with
this essentially representative feat
lre and permit the same body to
vote and expend public funds. You
will then have instead of a represen-
tative government, a strongly GEN.
tralized oligarchy. It is step back
ward. It would give all power to
he wealthy, influential citizens and
the people. Under the |
present system the common people |
nave voice thru their ward repre-
sentative.
The Commission plan proposes, 1st,
% eliminate politics from municipal |
elections; and End, give more efficient
service in municipal administration.
This is all very well, but what it has
actually done is this: 1st, Centralized
he power in the hands Of a few in
lividuals and End, Placed the power
# appropriating and spending public