Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-21
MANAGER FOR
MADISON URGED
Boroughites Hear Experts
Views, Then Vote in Favor
of the Plan.
TspcclaI to the Evening star.I

F Especial 10 INC ENChAh6
! MADISON, March 21.-What was
scheduled to have been a talk on the
subject of Getty Government by the
Managerial Plan" turned into as
cussion ad finally changed to de-
bate last night on the occasion OF an
address on municipal rule by L.. h,
Wilson, a well-known expert VINO hao
a hand in the shapig of the govern
ment at Dayton, O. The affair was
in the form of smoker, cigars anu
refreshments being passed.
/ Mr.. Wilson's talk, which favored
commission government by the city
| manager plan for a town OF Maol-
sons size, was followed by a defense
of our present system by Postmaster
L. A. Waters and State Senator
| Charles A. L. Rathbun. The VIII
| Earp. of Drew Seminary. who was
next In order. was brought to bear on
| the senator. who had INDUCED In q
Jest at the expense of Madison
prominent Methodist. Councilman
| r. b. Holmes spoke in favor OF the
citv manager plan in mild terms. For
mer Couciman w. r. Baker also said
a few words. James f. Mckinney,
New York lawyer, quoted the law on
| commission form of rule. A vote
taken at the end of the meeting
showed those present to be strongly
in favor of the man on the 1oD. py
a count of thirty-one to four tnose
voting against the proposition being
mostly borough officials. The present
| committee investigating the ad-
Visibility of the managerial plan was
retained.
Mr. Wilson said that he was not "a
maliar with the technique of the city
manager idea. but that he would en-
| deayor to present the human side OF
the question.
"If the city manager plan under the
commission form of government does
not offer some definite benefit to the
| common man." he said, ut Is or no
use, will not be supported and Will
soon die out.
zone of the essential features of
this idea is that it separates the legls-
| latiye and executive functions, the
commissioners pass the laws and the
manager enforces them. This ooVlates
the only objectionable feature OF the
commission plan. There is one man
who is responsible for everything and
to whom anyone and everyone can
look for reparation.
Believes In Going the Limit.
ain a town like this, where the pres
ent rule is similar to the new one
proposed and, where ii is possible to
! have a manager without change
of charter. it is said, why change
our charter? | believe in taking the
full step--in going the limit. The new
form eliminates politics and has the
| added advantages of the initiative,
| l referendum and recall.
"A feature seldom discussed is that
every time you make some change in
your rule it compels men to think,
and when men think the outcrop is
number of new ideas and a means of
progressing. A revision of a charter
is a benefit to men who need some
impetus to drive from them their
mental laziness. Community eff
cheney is best brought about by re-
moving from peoples minds the lit
tie, insignificant things and forcing
| them to think about larger problems
which make for public progress"
The speaker then related some Incl
dents In the Dayton campaign. Dur
ing the two months when the fight
was in progress there were $50 public
meetings held. The effect was mar
velous. The political machine, which
boosted &c voting certain sections of
the city in solid mass, was defeated
by a proportion of 21s to / and the
city manager plan adopted
1.-THE effect on the body polite from
going such campaign" continued
the speaker. sis as profitable at the
result attained. The Dayton cam
paign was worth a great deal to the
people, who did not know their own
ability. 1t brought forth a number
of new men in municipal rule. Arts
tocrats who formerly would not shake
hands with anyone whose finger nails
were not properly manacured learned
to make appeals to the common peo-
pie"
Postmaster L. A. Waters asked the
speaker where there Is any room for
that form here The councilmen act
nearly In the same way as commits
sioners only that three men are at
the head of each department instead
of only one. Borough Clerk Willis,
he said, is practically a city man
ager, was his idea. He also thought
that in proportion to the amount of
money we spend it would not be
practical to employ high-priced
man.
Cart Before the Horse.
Senator Rathbun's opinion was that
those who advocated change of
charter here are putting the cart be-
fore the horse. you must first find
the evil" he said, and then apply
the remedy. And none can affix a
remedy without first finding out what
they are going to remedy. There Is
no need of using the knife when a
homeopathic dose will cure the ILL.,
you will not find ideal conditions
this side of the grave" was his opin-
ion. There are some things we
will always have to put up with. And
they are found in commission form
of government as well as in alder
rules"
; I'm boroughs there is no advantage
in the commission form. If any
official is not doing his duty, 1t is
the fault of the voters, who have the
power to remove him. You speak of
arousing the people by an intense is
sue, but it is proverbial that the
American public will not stay aroused
for any length of time. They will
eventually fall back into the old rut-
backslide as you call it. think that
is a proper Methodist term, is 1t not
Professor Erp? What have you TO
say? My turn comes next" was the
curt reply.
Mr.. Rathmun also took except on