The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-14
"pur ME DEE AT BUFFALO"

The old slogan, tut Ne VI 3L Luz
falo," will once again become popu-
lar, since that city has after ten
years battle with special privilege
thrown off the shackles Of boss rule
placed the government into the
hands of the people, by real COM
mission plan. Buffalo with u popu'
lation of 100000 people is the largest
city in the world to try TO attain ef'
fcicnt rule by business principles.
The new charter was opposed by
the bipartisan devotees as progress
sfve Legislation is everywhere and
the Knickerbocker Press comments
upon Buffalos fight for municipal
freedom in part as follows:
mo franchises for the use of the
public streets may be granted without
a referendum vote. The expense o.
the election for such q vote must be
borne by the corporation seeking the
franchise, This is considered new
feature In the Buffalo charter, no 9TH
er city requiring a franchise seeker
to bear the expense of q referendum.
IA referendum check is also pro-
vided for all ordinances, should the
voters, by q five per cent petition,
demand one within thirty days, except
in case of emergency ordinances al
fecting the public health or safety.
Bipartisan Combine Opposes.
.tMoyements for fundamental muni-
cipa1 reform are usually bitterly op.
posed by combination OF politicians
in both OF the old political parties.
This has been true Of nearly every
important city in the country now be.
ing conducted under the new form OF
charter. It was true of the little city
of Beacon last year, the first munlcl-
pality in New York state to adopt com.
mission government. 1t was true OF
Buffalo when the final fight began
last June.
"The bipartisan combine, so fire.
auently referred to at Albany. made
itself manifest early in last sum-
mer's campaign. It was Invisible gov
ernment-the government of privilege
asserting itself through its old POI
itical agents, the bosses. But Buffalo
citizens were not deceived by the last
desperate effort to maintain an ola
and discrcdited system. They vera
quick to see that practically unlimited
| funds we're being poured in the cam
paign chest OF the bipartisan enemy
.sWhat interests are supplying this
money to prevent establishment OF .
new city charter?" was one Of the
questions asked. "Does 1t come from
patriotic and public spirited citizens
eager to save Buffalo against itself?
Who Put Up the Money?
"And when It was made plain that
the sinews OF war were being pro-
yided by an old and entrenched gang
of contractors, who had been given Il
monopoly of city work out of which
they had made millions; that large
sums we're being contributed by brew
ing companies, and that public serv.
ice corporations were lavish in their
financial support of maintaining the
old order OF things at the city hall,
thousands Of Indifferent Buffalon-
ians saw q new light. They remark
cd: "Our city charter may be fine
thing for the contractors, the brewers
and the public service corporations
but that is mighty good reason why
It is not good thing for u.s."
"The cry that it would be danger
GUS to vest in three men-a majority
Of the mmission-control OF the city
government, wasinstantly met with
the reply that for more than twenty
veyrs Buffalo had been the prey OF
three or four men elected from small
wards. Advocates of the new char
ter called attention to the fact that
this was bogus commission govern
ment responsible only to the corpora:
tons, contractors and other special
interests, and asked: Why not have
real commission elected by all the
people in the city; compelled to trans
act public business in the open, and
held in check by the referendum"
"Of course, the agents of the inter-
csts processing anxious concern for
the welfare OF Buffalo, attempted MOI
reioinder to this contention Of the
new charters friends. They did not
raise the question in the first, place TO
call out q reply, but to fool as many
people as possible.
ION November 8 there were cast
more than $1,000 votes on the CUES.
ton of whether the commission char.
ter should be approved or rejected. 1t
was approved by a majority of moro
than 10000, showing that after the
ton years Of agitation and education
the people of Buffalo were earnestly
In favor OF the change.
Striking Provisions of 5uffalots New
Charter.
eBy its referendum provisions i
ls,,o, 10 naonia af uiIffa los for the first