The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-01-26
OPTIONAL HOME RULE
MEASURE GETS GOOD
START IN ASSEMBLY Y
BY GEORGE W. stout

BY GEORGE W.
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 26.-Wftn
start obtained comparatively early In
the session; with the earnest support
of influential elements and demands
from many cities. and with the mo-
mentum gained two years ago In an
educational and legislative way. the
optional bill for commission form or
The commission manager plan for In
diana cities apparently is we'll on the
way to enactment
ANY possible opposition is pretty ef-
fectually forestalled by the fact that
the law proposed merely gives the city
a chance to vote on the question
whether it wishes to change from the
existing form of government to the
commission or commission-manager
method of handling local affairs. It
is a home rule bill appealing strongly
to the sense of fairness of the citizen
ship. No change is to be made in city
government until, under this law the
people themselves have voted in favor
of such a change. If the people say
mo-" there will be no change In any
city.
Gives People Chance.
At the same time, as the friends OF
the measure point out, it does give the
people Of each city covered by the bill
a fair opportunity to say whether or
not they will try the plan which Is
known to be working well in more
than 125 American cities. Where
there may be dissatisfaction with the
existing system this law will give the
citizenship a means for voicing their
aspiration and asserting themselves In
an effective manner.
Under the bill now pending, House
bill No. 164, introduced by Mr.. Knapp
Of Wayne county. cities adopting eth
er plan Of local government proposed
would elect a commission from the
city at large, the number OF members
to be five. On the ballots there will
be no party emblems or designations
to indicate the party policies OF the
aspirants.
Whole City Represented.
Here is a plan to get away from the
locality narrowness and selfish trading
back and forth of the system of ward
representation in city councils. Each
commissioner, voted upon by citizens
in all sections, would stand for the
city as a whole rather than for a ward,
and would be responsible to all the
city instead of being beholden to an
assertive and insistent ward or neigh
borhood.
Here also is a method of getting
away from partisan politics in city
elections. The basic principles upon
which political parties divide and align
themselves are national in their essen
tials and have to do with the large
policies. international, national and
state, touching not at all upon the
things that directly and vitality ahect
> the city and it's well-being.
No Recall Feature.
1t is understood the Indiana law is
not to carry the recall feature. There
seems to be feeling that by making
the law optional and by omitting the
recall the measure is strengthened for
enactment with the probability that it
may gain support in quarters other
wise more or less Indifferent.
The commission would appoint a
city judge and city attorney.
In cities of the first class Qndianap
olis) the five commissioners each
would receive $1,000 a year, giving
bond each for $4,000. Salaries OF
commissioners would be graded tc
$4,000 annually in cities of the second
class. $4,000 in cities OF the third
s1,50O in cities of the fourth class and
$1,000 in cities of the fifth class. I'm
der the commission plan the mayor