South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-29
BILL PROPOSES
Commission FOR
CITY COVE RNNENT
n N1lANA'S 60 TH
| GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| FROM THE NEWS-TIMES
Ii INDIANAPOLIS BUREAU

INDIANAPOLIS. Jan. 90. Sen.
George c. Wood was 10 introduce in
the senate Friday a bill under which
cities Of any size in Indiana may
change their form Of government 60
commission. or commission man
ager form. The commission type
would concentrate the responsibility
for government in the hands OF five
men drawn from the city's inhab-
itants by direct vote of the people
The commission manager form would
follow IN some respects the plan now
I'm vogue in Dayton, o.
This is the first proposal Of the kind
that an Indiana legislature ever has
had opportunity 90 pass on. The de-
tails of the bill were worked out by
Frank g. Bates, professor Of J olittcal
science at Indiana university. Under
the commission manager plan the
commission would be selected largely
as i'm the other form, but would name
a city manager, who would appoint
all officers. Practically all the officers,
however would be under a civil ser
vice board. The reeSll is provided
for.
Provide for Budget.
Both plans provide for budget.
Under the commission plan the adj
ministration is divided into five de-
partments as follows: Public safety
finance, treasury and utilities public
work and health. The commissioner
OF public safety would act as mayor,
who acts as official head Of the city
hut has no veto power. In addition
10 supervising work Of the depart
ment the city manager is empowered
under the bill to recommend ordi-
nances to the commission.
House Against NepOtism.
The house of representatives led 10y
Rep. Branaman, floor leader Of the
democrats. who was supported, II was
understood, by all the republicans in
the house, this afternoon went on
record against nepOtism in state Of
fees and refused 10 accept the report
of the committee which had sent the
Eleary anti-nepOtism bill out with an
unfavorable report. The house not
only did not concur I'm the report of
the committee but by apparently an
overwhelming vive vOce vote sent the
bill to second reading and engross-
ment. Many members Of the house
expressed their Endorsement of the
spirit of the bill and said their only
objection to IL was that it now in
rIudes only state offices in its proVis-
ions, while IT should extend down
Through the counties and township Of
glces.
1t was apparent from the temper Of
The house expressed during the argu-
gnent over the bill that the house. un-
less a sudden change of heart takes
place, will pass a bill which will sweep
the state house from stem to stern
of the host OF relatives of public Of
9Ce holders, who now infeSt the Of
fees there. Whether the measure
will be murdered in the senate, of
course is not apparent, but that the
house will create a fence which the
senate will have n hard time evading
was evident from the expressions of
approval for the bill, which were
heard.
Raps Office ''HOgs."
Rep. Branaman in moving that the
report Of the committee on the bill be
not adopted, said:
Il am In full sympathy with the
spirit of this bill. We have seen in
public offices for years a disposition
10 hog the whole thing. 1t seems that
there is not an office holder succeeds
in getting IN office that does not i'm
mediately believe he has to I'LL UP his
office with all the brothers, fathers,
fathers-in-law and brothers and sis
ters-in-law that ne can ind. This bill
Is OF the right sort 1t simply strikes
at these office hogs. Be you demo-
crat. republican or progressive. the
one thing you have had to excuse
when you were successful in eleCting
a ticket 20 office was this system of
hoggtng the whole thing with the
relatives of those elected. The only
thing that Is the matter with this bin
hat I can see is that il doesn't go
far enough. I'm in favor of seeing it
20 on down the line and apply to
every county and township office in
this state
Rep. Brauaman was rOundly ap-
plaude6 for his remarks from both
sides OF the house. Rep Parrish. a
democrats, then arose and declared
that there has arisen in Indiana a
universal conviction that a public Of
nCe is "A public trust.
Il am against this loading of a
state office or any other office with
inefficient and incompetent officials,
because they are unCles or aunts or
uother-in-laws Of the head Of the
department. in which they are en-
ployed." ne said
Against Efficiency.
He spoke against the system of
nepOusm and said il had been ap-
parent for a long time that the system
made against all efficiency or COM
potency.
Rep. Mason J. Niblack then sup
ported the bin i'm q speech for which
ne received applause from both sides
OF the house.
Gentlemen, ] am heartily in favor
Of the motion of the gentlemen from
Jackson" he said. This is a repub-
lican bill drafted by republican
member OF this house. but / am for
90 and I do not believe any member
of this house will be against il. be he
democrat or repub!iC-n When /