Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-07
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT

4
\ lightfully harmonious results of
the commission form of govern
ment is furnished by Buffalo where
the larger functions of the government
of that city are now paralyzed by
deadlock in the City Council One of
the five councilmen has resigned in
a huff, leaving the commissioners split
on party lines, two to two. AS a re-
suit the police nominations cannot be
confirmed, there is general demorali-
Zation, and talk of an appeal to the
Legislature for a special election to
ill the place of the recalcitrant COM
missioner.
Thus 1t goes all over the country.
Controversies, the noisy referendum,
political chickering's and general dis
satisfaction. And this is the thing
which was put over on Harrisburg
and all the other third-class cities of
Pennsylvania as a measure of re-
form.
When will the people get awake to
the foolishness of constant expert
menting with new-fangled notions of
administration One after another
these schemes of government are sub
mitted to the voters and through
plausible arguments of their promo
ters are foisted upon the people.
Atlanta this week voted upon the
recall of its mayor and five members
of the police commission who last Sep
tember denoted the chief of police in
that city after he had closed the red
light district and had begun a cam
paign against the locker clubs operat-
ing in violation of Georgia's prohibi-
tion law. Upon the basis of the re-
turns thus far received it appears that
the recall has been beaten about two
TO one in a total vote of about 5000.
Upon the referendum a bitter cam
paign ensued, the men and religion for
ward movement, the ministers and the
so-called moral forces" supporting
the recall. Bitter attacks were made on
the characters of the men who de-
moted Beavers. The removal of the
chief was styled ''lynching." The anti
recall was supported by the three At
lanta newspapers and a large percent
age of the business element.
1t was contended by the Atlanta
newspapers that the success of the re-
call would brand the city as vicious
and corrupt. They insisted that the
city was being slandered by the recall
forces. Speaking of the result the At
lanta Constitution calls up the coun-
ellis to organize for the election of
council and city administrations which
will hereafter make a recall election
for anybody impossible.
Harrisburg is likely to have some
such experience with it's much vaunt-
ed commission government one of
these fine days and then the people
will realize how little of real reform
there is in these so-called efficiency
schemes of administration. This city
made splendid progress under the old
system and we suspect to-day that a
popular vote upon the question of a
repeal of the commission government
in favor of the old bicameral plan
would result Overwhelmingly in the
adoption OF the more representative
system.
1t appears, however, that the unsat-
isfactory character of municipal gov
ernrnent all over the country must
eventually result in the adoption of a
larger measure of home rule to the
end that communities may themselves
choose the particular form of govern
ment under which they shall operate.
Those who have had large experience
in municipal affairs are practically of
one mind on the question of home rule
as the real reform measure necessary
under the conditions which prevail so
widely throughout the United States.