Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-10-29
SIurs in Lieu Of Argument.

Siur0 IN lieu o. Argument
Upon reading an editorial il the
las. issue o. the Grays Harbor Post
one is compelled TO think. what S de-
ligh,tul old Tory paper the Post would
have been had /. existed in the latter
pa1 OF the Eighteenth century. in
Massachusetts, or Virginia. One can
readily imagine the glibuess With
which the Pos, would have dismissed
the Petition Pedduns" Patriots a. dis
appointed once seekers. whose mo
,ivee could hardly be aseribed TO high.
er Ideals OF citiseoship than we're pos
sessed By citizens opposed to chang.
ing the form OF government"
The sta;emen, Of the Post that the
uovenea, for commission form Of gov
eminent 10 pushed by unsuccessful
candidates for once in the city is a
wiltul nissta,enent OF fact. too plain
70 deceive anyone. and defy the Post
20 name those disgruntled aspirants
for Office whose aspirations would be
more successful under the plan which
requires the vote Of the entire city
instead OF ward 10 elect
So far in its opposition TO the CON-
mission plan, the Post has revealed
a determination 10 ignore facts In the
discussion. in the ev:den, belief tina,
the constant reiteration OF an untruth
will fool the unthiaking. or those who
have given the Post their proxy to
DO their thinking for them. as witness
the following.
The commission plan. its advo-
Gates frankly aver. will cost more
than the present plan: its eff
cheney has not been greater in
the cities that have tried it; it
destroys the right OF representa-
ton by minority parties within the
city. b. centralizing the entire
powers OF government. in the
hands OF three men. In theory it
sounds we'll, but in practice, has
proved ike many other modern
experiments il government, al
mosc flat failure
The advocates OF the commission
plan do not aver il will cost more
than me present plan. That it affords
AZ opportunity TO conduct the affairs
OF the city AZ much less cost is the
chief reason its advocates urge. Its
potential efficiency has been so much
greater in the more than 1000 cities
in which it is in operation that none
Of them would tolerate a return TO
the old ward system.
The objection that the GENERALIZATION
Of power and responsibility in the
hands OF three men destroys repre-
sentative government becomes absurd,
when one considers that three men
are all OF the present government any
voter has voice in the selection Of
the mayor and two councilmen.
Our charming Tory friend is con.
WINGED that We already have the las,
word in government; that any amend.
ment along modern business lines is
doomed 10 failure. notwithstanding the
fact that this particular change has
been working very satisfactorily in
cities in more than one-halt the states
in the union.
AS TO efficiency. We direct the at.
tention Of the Post, and the readers OF
the Herald, TO the contrast between
the authorities OF this city and He
GUAM in the reduction of current ex.
penses made necessary this year BY
reason Of extraordinary circumstances.
The city council OF Aberdeen spent
months in an effort 70 frame a budget
tina, would keep the city within the
egal limit Of Indebtedness, and prompt.
y ceased cutting estimates when that
point was reached, while the Hoquiam
commission adopted the budget, and
started in Immediately to eliminate
$4,000 from the current expense, and
is IL fair way 70 accomplish tina,
end a. this 10 written.