The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-09-17
or CHARTER
START CAMPAIGN TO
CARRY IT At POLLS
Meeting Held at the High School
Auditorium Saturday Night Re.
suits in Move Being Started to
Change Our Form of Rule.

School auditorium Saturday night for
the purpose OF launching a campaign
TO carry the city charter at the cleo
ton Ia be held here q week from toe
morrow was not largely attonded-al-
though IN numbers II had a slight adj
vantage over the meeting neld boy the
ants a week ago. Being saturday
night. also pay day. many people could
not be present FOR business reasons.
An organization was formed Co work
Tor the success 81 the charter At the
polls. The following officers were
elected Or a g. Shortle. chairman: !
Pearce e. Rodey. secretary and s..
Flcischer. treasurer. \ meeting will
be held this evening at the CONNER
cial club To perfect the organization
and map out a course Of procedure.
W T. Metca.f. "a member Of he
charter commission. one Of the men
who helped draft the much discussed
document, was the first speaker intro !
duced by Mayor Henry Wcsterfeld.
who presided. MIR. Metcalf declared
that there b. but one isue before the
citizens of Albuquerque at the COM |
ing election, which Is whether We shall
adopt the commission form Of poyern-
ment or not, and when "a ;upn says he
rs I'm favor Of the commission form
government but is opposed TO the
proposed charter. there is some other
motive underlying his opposition than
"a mere dislike Of the charter as draft
ed.
The speaker then proceeded to give
81 brief history Of the manner In
which our present form ~ municipal
government originated In the early
DAYS OF this republic. he said cities
inherited the old form of municipal
government In in England The :
mayor was appointed by the colonial
government He was supposed to rep
resent the row The council which ,
he appointed WAS supposed to repre-
sent the people We continued To live
under his form Of rule with certain
notifications until iu 1905. when CAL
weston vas visited los q great flood !
Immediate measures were necessary
TO save the town. Tho whole city ma
chinery was paralyzcd. Some of the
leudiug citizens SAID W. viii take
matters into our own hands. They
formed an organization Tho results
were So satisfactory and so much APP
prcclaied hy the citizens that they
went To- the Legislature and got r. bill
, passed providing for "a commission to
govern the city. The plan was adopted
and the idea spread quite rapidly. In
1872 the Same city introduced he CITY
manager plan. DAYTON. g., being one
~ the leading cities Co follow the lead
of Galveston.
In reply to thc accusations made
against the proposed charter ma %
is soclJli~tic. Mr. Metcalf read rN-
racts from q printed article showing
that The socialists, Just like THOSE be-
longing q" other parties. divided an
me question some socialists favor this
form uf rule, white others oppose o.
Perhaps Il was o mistake To- put me
ON the committee 20 draft The charter"
Mr. Mccall said. because hove
found that many OF my good friends
are on the habit ~ finding fault with
amy opinion thai ] may express. claim
ing that 1t is suciulistic II were TO
say that ! only took two meals = day
my friends would say. That is because
ho is a socialist he b. peculiar
The speaker then referred To- the
case 81 Denver, which is often spoken
OF los opponents 81 the commission
form ~ government Js having tried
that plan and returned tn the couu-
'ilmduic pan Of ruling the city. Nh.
Mci'ali told ot % conversation he en-
gagged 800 Saturday with % prominent
Denver business man Ito asked the
~'cuNcrItc how their candidates for
commissioner were chosen and was
Informed that they were nominated
by committee composed ct politicians
aud others engaged in various lines
7 of business thDasu ror Tho uututas