The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-02-14
LAFAYETTE AND
COMMISSION
GOVERNMENT.

to determine, whether or not, the
city would adept the Commission
Form of Government under the
privileges/of the general act of
the Legislature of 1912. The re-
suit of fhe election was as follows:
For '324. against 27S. Majorl-
ty 46.
The campaign, preceding the
election was quite interesting and
apparently divided the voters into
three classes Of factions. One of
these contended energetically for
the adoption Of that provided for
in the general act of this state;
another faction contended for
Commission Form Of Government
under authority Of special act
or charter, to be made and pre-
pared for Lafayette alone, model
ed after the plan in force in this
city; and the third faction holds
those who are. opposed 20 the
Commission GovernmeDt idea,
preferring the old time honored
aldermanic form of city govern
ment. The second and third fac
tions combined forces against the
hopes of the first class.
On Friday evening Of last week
the voters, in large numbers, at
tendad a meeting held under the
auspices Of the first faction.
Several prominent speakers ad,
dressed the meeting, including
several from beyond the parish
limits. In the issue of the Lafay
ette Gazette, following that meet.
ing, we find the following state.
ments embodied in the report of
the meeting:
"Mr. w. A. Bell, of Lake
Charles, stated that the Commits
sion Government had been in op.
Grafton in Lake Charles for the
past year, and 1t had effected a
saving during that time of over
$4,000"
ssMr. Jules Dupny and Mr. J. P.
belle, of New Iberia, also
addressed the meeting, strongly
commission govern
ment, which had effected saving
for New Iberia of $4,000 in the
past nine months. In answer to q
Question Mr.. Suberhielle stated
that it had eliminated politics in
New Iberia.0
On Tuesday night, the night be-
fore the election, the forces of the
other two factions combined in a
big rally meeting and listened to
a number of speakers who ar
raigned that form Of Commission
Government possible under the
general act Of this state. 1t was
that the act authorize
the retention of the present city
charter in so far as not in conflict
with the act; this would result in
endless confusion and possible lit.
cation; that the Act, while pro-
for three commissioners,
did not define their duties, nor
provide any limitations for their
doings; that it authorized Excess
sive salaries for the commission
ers without defining specifically
what duties shall be performed by
the commissioners for those sala-
ries; the Act authorized the com
to put into service al
unlimited list of employees aud to
fix their cOmpen sati0ns; the COM
missioners themselves are not re
auired to do more than maintain
an office in the city hall building:
being a general act, any amend
ment thereto sought by Lafayettf
would arouse the opposltion Of
other cities and towns operating
Hereunder; if adopted, il must be
retained for six years, matter
how. deficient it may prove in
practical results; it perpetuated
the present expensive state sys
TEN of city boards of health. with
out allowing the commissioners
who must meet the board Of
health's budget Of expenses out oi
the city's general revenue, the
privilege of reviewing the items
of that budget; 1t encouraged
rather than prohibited, secret ses
slons of the commissioners; il
provides for an impractlcable ere.
calI;n it fosters factional politics
both by it's general operating sys
TEN and the method of electine
city commissioners Hereunder.
To sum up, it is declared to be
delnsion and q snare for those
who are conscientious-by seek
ing to better local city govern
ment conditions.
New Iberia's form of commits
sion government, under its spe
cial act, was very highly com
mended by some of the speakers
Can't. A. N. Muller, Of this city
was one of the speakers of ths
evening, advising the voting dowI
Of the general act, aud encoorse
irg the idea of going to the legis