The Detroit times., 1916-02-19
Buffalo Man L au d s
Commission Govern
ment in Talk Here
REFORM COMES
AFTER HARD FIGHT
Scheme Has to Run
Gauntlet of P0liti-
clans Opposition

Melvin p. Porter, secretary.treas'
urer OF the Municipal league Of Bnf-
falo, and prominent In promoting
the revision OF that city's charter
recently. addressed the Detroit Citi
zens' league, In the Board OF Com
merce auditorium, Friday night, and
told of the uphill fight that had been
encountered In making the change.
lie gave a resume OF the various
steps that had led TO the adoption
OF commission government there.
what II has accomplished In the
short time IL has been in force. and
closed with the adyocaiion OF its
adoption In Detroit
The Detroit Citizens league is a
worker for better government"
and is on record In favor OF radical
charter changes that are generally
recognized as necessary to an eff
Gent city organization. Mr.. Por-
ter's address was heard by large
audience. composed principally of
members of the league and the
Board OF Commerce.
Il have not come 10 teach you
from Buffalo's experience. which is
too brief. and her charter not yet
completed" said Mr.. Porter But
TRUST We can profit from study
OF the new form OF charter, which
is rapidly making our cities the
hope OF democracy which were in
the words OF James Bryce. the one
conspicuous failure In our govern.
ment. This new charter 3 called
government by commission. or bet.
Ter. by limited council Since 1901
II has spread 10 3s7 cities in ~
states.
Good city government Is based
on two fundamentals. Centering OF
power permitting business to be
done. or efficiency, and control by
the voters insuring that business
ssbs doae for the public interest, or
democracy. To secure these, 10
charter provisions are required as
follows, power centered In small
elected council and In ach member
as head of a department; control by
tho votNs secured through (prior
10 electlonl, a short ballot. prefer
ential voting, election at large. taft.
or electionl. the referendum the In.
iuatiye the recall. publicity and ap.
pointments subject TO the merit
system
The struggle TO secure the new
Bu1 alo charter was long and hard
because the city lacks home rule
or power to make its own charter
The halfway plans OF appointed
charter commissions made no head.
way In 1909, Lewis stockton, the
prophet OF Buffalo charter reform.
carried the case TO the people AT
the polls through filing petition
nnder our public opinion ordinance
The people responded by voting
nearly three TO one to ask the state
legislature to permit them TO vote
on the commission charter. This
request OF the city was foated by
It's representative in Albany in 1910.
The Municipal leaeDe Published
their records and insisted upon char
ter pledges in each campaign. and
the voters began replacing them un-
I'll three.fourths were pledged to do
all IN their power for the submis-
zion OF the ,mmission charter.
Then the nev' charter was passed
by the legislature in 1914. after
striking out preferential voting. the
initiative and the recall, only 10 be
vetoed y our mayor after public
hearing where the city hall was
jammed with citizens. Indignant at
his conduct Of the hearing and the
expected veto. The veto had been
urged by both houses OF our old
city council Some ~ us neglected
our business entirely for weeks TO
lead this campaign, lest the fruits
of years OF charter work be lost.
Tho Commission Government asso-
citation and most OF the newsT apers
did valiant work to secure the char
ter's repagsage over the mayors
veto.
When this was accomplished the
crisis had passed and publicity
campaign was followed by the city's
eager acceptance OF the. new char
ter b va majority OF over $4,000
votes in November. 1914. to become
effective Jan. I. 1916.
The three essentials refused by
the state legislature, preferential
voting. the initiative RnG the recall.
viii he secured In the same way
througa plcdgins candidates to do
all In their power for them. The
Municipal league now has such
pledges from all tho newly.elected
tounicimen and from nearly all the
state legislators from Buffalo. BILLS
We had introduced last month I'm
Albany To submit these three pro.
visions to Buffalo voters, have nj.
ready been indofsed unanimously
by The city council the Central
( Council OF business Mems aseocia
tons. the Central Labor council the
Commission Government associa.