The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-12

Commission form or SoVernnents recommended by the special commit tee appointed by Mayor Wilson, re- sceived sad pumping and hard boost ing by persons in and out of politics.. last night when a hearing was held in the Common Council chamber.
 Attorney Frederic A. Bartlett, who is in the senate, and president of that body, declared that in his opinion the question ought to be submitted to the people, which was regarded as eouivaIent to a statement that he will see to it that the submission takes place It can only effectively occur upon a legislative order
 Jasper McLevy, prominent Social ist and several times his party s strongest candidate for Mayor of 9Rrfdeeport. voiced the strongest op- nosition to the plan on the ground that 1t was centralizing power. He said that instead of Eliminating spoli- tics as members of the committee said commission form of < government would tend to throw the political pat tie into the primaries instead of the elections as now.
 Whatever the members of the com 1,aittee may have known. about com
 mission form of government while tlaey were preparing their report they seemed to have forgotten when they came to explain it's beneats, they seemed to have forgotten when they came to explain its benefits at the ssssss ring last I1iglat. Frank w Bo- 1anfIe. president of the Post Publtsh- ing Go, William F. Kirk and Atty frederic A. Bartlett made the princi- pal addresses for the committee. Tqe principal argument advanced py the members of the committee were that it would take the city government m out of politics and secure to the tax 5payers better return for their mon
 Fne committee, whose report was discussed, were seated inside the raa1 in the aIdermanic chamber Tnose present were Frank w. Bolanue, Al forney F. A. Bartlett, William F. Kirk, Louis Kutscher, Jr:, and Geo. Ts. Crawford Samuel ;E. Vincent, chairman, John A Leonard, Harry Fl. DeLoss and George E. Hill were ao- sent
 There was some question as to whether or not the report of the com roiffea should be referred to the mis- celIaneous committee of the council Alderman Coughlfn thought the mat fer should be presented to the people for referendurn vote. The mayor thought the miscellaneous cornm1tree shol1Td consider it first No final ..t11,,, za tsIxer, and the matter rest ed. A vote of thanks was given the committee, by the aIdermens and the committee relieved from further duty.
 MT. McL.evy said the initiative, re- call and referendum which the com coill- Iaittee recommended were gooo lhlnss ls but they were not necessarily par 2 l ol . com mission form Of government ana could be had under the present sys- tenn if the people desired them
 Except for the members of the conn 1liittea Attorney Joshua Meltzer was the strongest advocate favorlng 1ne com naittee's report. He said ID part'
 sarhere are two reasons why com- mission form of government should be adopted. The present form oi eovernsnent is obsolete and useless and is not serving it's purpose. We went from the old form of govern ment by se1ectnlen, which Is really commission form of government, to tn epresent system which IS the Feo- era1 form of government Now we have no coherent policy on all mat ters such as they have in European governments where the authority IS centralized.
 s~rhe disaster at Galveston and the corruption in Des MoineS were tWc things that brought out this commfs- sion form of government. Now 4Os municipalities have adopted 1t. You must govern with a purpose That purpose is efficient business.
 Attorney Meltzer then described the benefits to be derived rom the rS1er- endutn. the initiative and the recall Previously, Frank w. BoIande, Attor- ney Bartlett, William P. Kirk had ex- uIairted that the report of the com- nittee represented what they thought the best form of commission govern ment for Bridgeport. They said they have arrived at their finding after hearing many experts and after much consultation of data furnished by the Bureau of Municipal Research of New
 York.
 Rev. P. B. Matthias of the Kings Highway Congregational church said the present system of government was a complicated one and the beau ty of commission government was its simplicity. Commission government would he said, promote efficiency and centralize responsibility He said 1 the present city government was one of politics and if a man had suffi- cient backing he might get what he wanted from his alderman. He saw Inc reason why national politics should be considered in Bridgeport or why it should be partisan city. He advocated voting for any man pro- vided he was a good man for the of ] flee.