The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-24
Taft Explains City
 Plan Of Management
Education of Foreign Born Residents Essential to Suc-
 cess of Adoption Efficiency Stressed

Charles P. Taft of Cincinnati, members of the city council of that city, spoke on proportional repre- sentation yesterday before the board of managers of the Citizens Good Government Association of Water- bury at Hotel Elton. MT. Taft des- cribed how the nine members of the council are chosen by the preferen- tial vote of all the people in the city. Where the city formerly elect ed Councilmen by districts and the first council under the Council Manager plan was composed of five republicans, three democrats and one independent, the new system has brought about the election of two republicans, four independent republicans, two democrats and one labor party candidate. He said that really represented the voters pre- ferences as they are found in that city.
 Best In Each Party
 Mir Taft said the city charter party had elected as many as six men to the council during the 12 years the Council plan has been in effect but that at the last election four were elected. The other members were from the various other party organizations in the city. But with this system we were sure to get the best man in each party. That is why the politicians do not like proportional represen- tation plan. They can nominate their slate of nine men at each elec- ton but they have no means of telling which ones will be- chosen by the public"
 MT. Taft explained that the party leaders may hope that the first four or five on their list will be chosen but the ballots are rotated so that the same names do not appear on the top of all ballots. Further, the second, third and other choices of voters on the ballots may upset the best plans of politicians and bring about the election of the men who the people think are best for the council though they may have been far down on the lists of the party leaders.
 Election Costs
 Conducting proportional rep resentation election costs more than an ordinary election, MT. Taft dis closed but no more than conducting primary and a normal election. In fact the modern system is a prim- ary and election combined, as it works out.
 He said the methods used in counting the ballots and balancing them after each tabulation makes dishonesty in election counting im- possible, unless whole ballot box is unsealed or thrown away.
 MT. Taft urged the Citizens Good Government association to work with the better political groups if it were possible. He said the big job fer the local organization was to properly educate the people on the merits of the council-manager form o5 government through house to heuse talks, newspaper articles, lec- lures and other devices. His exper- fence had shown that a city such as Waterbury with large foreign, or tii:st generation from foreign, popu- lation would not be at disadvant- age in trying to educate the voters. Most of these foreign born people had come to America to get away from bad governments and were in- terested in having good government here. He said that when a sound plan for good government is prop erly presented to them they will vote for it.
 Discharges
 He said that installation of the council-manager system of govern ment did not mean a wholesale dis charge of city employees. Of the 27 department managers in office when the new government was effected, only one lost his job; of more than 4300 employees only about 400 were replaced. It was found that most city employees are qualified for their jobs and will get the best out of them if they are not constantly laboring under the fear of displeasing the bosses that put them there.
 AS in elections in other forms of government the party leaders try to pick states which contain represent ativeS of various faiths and races, according to the density of their population in the city concerned. When the voters go over such bal