Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-09-02

IL Jupe, 1911, what lie known as
the Allen Law, providing q commits
sion plan Of government for cities Of
the second class, became effective,
and, am informed, Aberdeen il the
only city in the state that has so far
failed 70 adopt this modern system
An attempt was made in this city In
the fall of 1911 to adopt the Allen
system, but at an election held in
November it was defeated by 2ss
votes out OF total vote Of 1,4s3.
This defeat was due wholly to q
dread OF trying something new. The
councilmanic system was admittedly
full Of expensive blow holes, yet the
conservative element prevailed. pre-
fering to try 1t on the dog" before
adopting It ourselves. in other words.
not fully understanding the change.
. preference was expressed to OBJ
serve how 1t worked in other cities
first.
Now, that Aberdeen, in common
with all other cities in the state. finds
itself, in preparing the budget for
1916. without the means Of revenue
hitherto derived from saloon licenses.
face to face With . condition that
cannot be lodged. the city must alb
solutely choose one Of two methods;
either cut expenditures to the bone.
or add to the present tax burdens Of
it, citizens. and perhaps both. In
this dilemma, II IL quite natural that
the system Of government, In al it,
bearings, is being discussed ~ never
before, and it II equally natural that
those who four years ago opposed the
Commission plan, through fear Of m
innovation. should now advocate the
change.
am informed that petitions are
now being prepared. asking for .
special election to adopt the Allen
system, and they may be in circula-
ton before this appears in print. In
recent conversations with some Of the
leading opponents Of the new plan
four years ago, they have expressed
a desire now to adopt it. They point
to our sister city Of Hoquiam, where
1t has been in operation since August,
1911, and whose city government in
the past three years is admitted to
have been more effective and less ex.
pensive than would have been posi-.
BILE under the old system.
It has been observed. that while
the Allen law was rather an innova-
ton when passed in 1911, almost
all cities in the state have been op.
Grating under 1t for some years, long
enough to discover its effects II any.
yet at the legislative sessions Of 1A13
and 1915, no bill was introduced ask
ing that line of that law be changed.
A compliment to Senator Allen Of
which he may we'll be proud, and q
fact that the conservatives of Aber.
deem who feared its workings may
well take note.
The Commission form of city gov.
eminent, starting as 1t did in the dis
tress OF Galveston, Texas, has been
thoroughly proven successful in al
most every state in the union since.
1t has proven such in this state that
in any city operating under it, sug.
gestion to return to the old ward.
councilmanic system would be laugh
ed to scorn. 1t Is no panacea for
the evils Of community; 1t Is not
a self.acting remedy for the delinquent
citizen, whose sole performance Of
the duties of citizenship consists Of
an attempt to dodge his just portion
OF the cost of government, and who
has no time to read the local press,
and has an abiding confidence in the
belief that 1t does not matter whom
he votes for-they are or will be
crooks anyhow. All communities
have this bunch-and Aberdeen is
not immune.
But, the writer doffs his hat to the
loyal bunch OF boosters who have de.
voted years-and shed tears-in put.
ting Aberdeen on the map. Many Of
those pioneer boosters opposed the
Commission plan four years ago in an
honest fear Of it's effects, and blamed