The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-01-24
Men Supporting New Mu-
nicipal Government Sys-
tenn Against Des Moines
Plan Get Hearing.
DEFECTS IN PLAN
PICKED BY SOLONS
I. F. Theme of Fl. Wayne
Tells House Committee
that the System Is Used
Outside of America.
palladium Specially

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 24.-Advo-
Gates of the business system of city
government were given rather an un-
sympathetic hearing by the House
committee on cities and towns Thurs
day afternoon. No action was taken
on the Koening bill permitting cities
to adopt the new system and the COM
mittee will consider it further at a
subsequent meeting.
Representatives Weisman, Thorn
ton and Van Horne picked the most
flaws in the plan as outlined by Theo-
dore F. Theme of FIT. Wayne, who is
it's leading advocate; E. G. Hoffman,
of Ft Wayne, who drew the bill, and
W. K. Stewart, Of Indianapolis. They
seemed to doubt whether it would
have the effect of removing municipal
affairs from politics and feared the
people would not have sufficient con-
troll over public officials.
Mr. Theme told the committee that
practically all the cities of the world
business system and the last of them
abandoned the partisan plan fully
fifty years ago.
How the Plan Works.
AS explained by Mr.. Theme the bill
provides for the election Of board
of seventeen councillors and no other
officials. The board of councillors
choose a mayor and four other heads
of departments in addition to all the
other principal employees Of the city.
The salaries of all officials are fixed
by the board and they would retain
their positions as long as the
council sees fit. In addition to sur
pervising the different departments
of municipal affairs the mayor and
four heads of departments would enact
office ordinances and perform other
duties now done by the city.
1t was originally expected to elect
all the seventeen councillors at large,
but the promoters of the plan now de-
sire an amendment providing for the
election of two members from each
ward and the remainder at large. Can
didates for councillor would get on the
ballot by petition and would not re-
ceive their nomination from any po-
litical party. They would receive $5
for each meeting they attend.
Could Employ Experts.
Under the plan it would be i'm
possible for the city to obtain the serv-
ices of trained men to conduct its
bust ness and keep them as long as
they desired to stay and give salts
faction" said Mr.. Theme. 1--WE would
no longer turn our city affairs over to
a new set of inexperienced men every
four years any more than business
corporation would attempt to do busi-
ness in that way"
Mr.. Hoffman said the keynote of the
| bill is that the appointed official is
usually better than the elected Off
! cial. He gave it as his opinion as a
practical politician that this plan
would come as near as any system
| that could be devised to eliminating
! boss rule and partisan politics from
municipal affairs. He explained the
provision for recalling members of the
/ board of councillors by holding an
! election on petition of twenty per
cent of the voters, who shall attach
their signatures in the office of the
city clerk.
| He reminded the committee that the
passage of the law would not obligate
any city to adopt the new system and
! called attention to the fact that In
diana is one of the few states without
laws giving cities home rule or the
right to adopt some form of municipal
government.