16
CLARK ACT PRAISED
CONDEMNED BY
,[Continued From First Page]
people know to whom thev must look
for results. There was also increased
cost under the commission form, but
the lack of a single directing head was
recognized and the people were glad to
change to the mayor form of adminis
tration.
Also In Denver the heads of the
various departments are appointed bjr
Mayor Speer, who makes most of the
other appointments. Denver's experi
ence has been the experience of many
other cities that have experimented
with the commission scheme of gov
ernment.
It is admitted in Harrisburg that the
iPlan has worked out here in some re
spects quite satisfactorily and in others
It has been a distinct failure. The Tele
igraph has requested the views of its
'contemporaries in the Third Class cities
'of the State and those thus far re
ceived are submitted herewith.
WILKES-BAR RE CONTENTED
Eugene F. Giering, editor of the
Wilkes-Barrc Record. "Wilkes-
Barre*s experience with commission
government has been fairly satisfac
tory, eminently so in some ways. My
impression is that it is a big improve
ment over the old councilmanic form
with ward representation. Undoubt
edly some other cities have not fared
•as well, but it must be borne in mind
that no form of government can be
proof against lapse of interest or other
delinquencies on the part of the elec
torate. The best we can do is to adopt
the form that appeals to us as being
the best in principle. I can see no
hope of universal improvement in
changing to a council of seven or nine
members, they to serve without pay"
and to appoint the heads of depart
ments. The temptation to seek office
for the sake of the political perquis
ites woud induce men of low caliber
to seek the office, just as the political
power, plus the salary, tempts men of
low caliber under the present form.
The suggestion that each city be given
the privilege of conducting its gov
ernment to suit itself should be less
objectionable than another general
experiment. But in Wilkes-Barre there
is no demand for a change of any
kind."
MEN, NOT THE FORM AT FAULT
Jess E. Long, editor and manager
Daily News, MeeKcsport "We find
that there isn't much to complain
about in the form. If good men are
elected the problem will be solved.
We have a mayor and four council- |
men. If a combination of three is 1
formed among them and that com- j
bination is made of men who are not ;
honest and do not work for the best
interest of the taxpayer, then the
form is all wrong. In almost three !
years we have seen combinations come
and go. Good and bad has been the j
result. As a whole in the experiment'
over the old form of dual bodies I ;
think we are better off. If the Gov- |
ernor had not knocked down the pro- 1
posed amendments the League of
Third Class cities recommended at the
last session of the Legislature, I think
the commission form of government
would have been greatly improved.
The amendments were carefully con- j
sidered by the solicitors of many
Third Class cities. Much time was
cpent in preparing the amendments,
•but the Governor gave it no consid- I
eration. The substitution of a single
council to act without pay and that
body to name heads of departments
might work out all right. That's new
■over this way. Had not heard of it.
The greatest complaint here has not
been against the form, but the men
"who have been elected."
FAVORS A CITY MANAGER
|
Harry F. Johnston, tho Altoona
Mirror "The commission form of j
government worked well and some
times worked ill in Altoona, It has
enabled us to get some things we |
"needed a little sooner than would
have been the case under the old I
form, but it has not been all that was
expected of it by long odds. We
thought It would eliminate log rolling;
it hasn't. We thought it would con
centrate responsibility as well as
authority; it hasn't done that either.
A couple of weeks ago Mayor Charles
•E. Rhodes Introduced an ordinance
strengthening tho State Blue law by
increasing the fine for Sunday selling
* eas than sls and not more than
*25, or not less than 30 days' impris
onment, Some of bis colleagues did
not want to take a stand either way
bo they amended tho ordinance by re
ferring it to a referendum of the
people.
"One of the best things that has
been accomplished under commission
government is the placing of virtually
an tne municipal employes under civil
service regulations by fixing their
terms of offioe during efficient work
and good behavior. The policemen,
nremen. health bureau, water bureau
and electrical bureau employes are all
protected and cannot be removed ex
cept after a public hearing of ' the
charges against them by council, This
would never have been possible under
the old system.
Perhaps the weaknesses of com
mission government are not due so
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Be sure to ask the druggist for the
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FKTPXY fcVhN'iMG,
much to the form as to men. It pro
vides the machinery for an efficient
and economical administration of the
public's affairs, but the men who run
it must be honest, able, fearless and
without political ambition. As for
ourselves, we favor a city manager."
HOME RULE DEMANDED
Hon. Fred. C. Kirkcudall, the
Wilkcs-BaiTc Times-Leader "I am
of the opinion that no general im
provement has been shown in Wilkes-
Barre under the commission form of
government over the old system. Re
sponsibility is just as hard to center
and taxpayers are not getting any
more for their money than they did
under tho old. I am of the opinion that
forms of plan-government are secon
dary matters. That it is all up to the
caliber of the men who hold the of
ficial positions. lam also heartily in
favor of "Home Rule" for cities and
believe an act should be passed giving
cities tho right to choose their own
form of gpvernment. Every city has
its own problems to solve and any gen
eral classification act works hard
ships."
HOW IT WORKS AT EASTON
C. X. Andrews, general manager
and editor, Easton Free Press
"Just what to think concerning the
working of the commission form of
government in Easton is a puzzling
J proposition. In many respects the
| commission has done well. In some
j there is not the change that was hoped
for. That politics woud be eradicated
has not proven true here, though the
course of the commissioners did not
give the public that insight into the
j political nature of the work that was
the case with the old double council
organization. The people are kept in
t»he dark to a great degree concerning
the purpose of the commission, as
contrasted with the old body. In the
latter the discussions were in com
mittee and in the sittings of councils.
These meetings were open, and re
porters gave full accounts, the people
thus learning the intentions, the argu
ments and position of the councilmen.
It developed early under commission
government that there was tp be lit
tle open discussion. The meetings
that were held were generally per
functory; there had been private dis
cussions beforehand and agreements
and there was little else done but to
act formally on previously decided
points.
"As to politics, in the fire depart
ment every vacancy was filled by the
appointment of a man whose politics,
it was subsequently learned was
Democratic. Most of the men engaged
in highway department work, if new
men, were of the same political faith.
When there came the change that
was effected by the second election of
commissioners, it was noticed that
new men in the fire department were j
generally Republicans, for the hew I
head of that department is Republi- |
can. Politics had entered into the 1
election of the new commissioners. I
v\ hen the first body was elected the !
election was as nearly nonpartisan i
as an election can well be.
Nonpartisan Feature Doomed
The fact that politics has entered
into the work of the commissioners I
and into the second election leads me j
to think that the nonpartisan feature, ;
contemplated by the act, is doomed
hereafter in Easton.
"The general work of the first
ooard of commissioners was on the
whole good. Xo old body of city
councils would have dared to spend
the public money in the way it was
done. Unquestionably the fire depart
ment was made much better so far as
equipment was concerned. Good be
fore, it was measurably strengthened,
but the cost was considerable. The
highways of the city are better, the
garbage department better, the police
about the same, while parks and play
grounds are receiving more attention
the people approving this last de
velopment.
"Possibly commission government
has no. had a fair trial in Easton,
because the commissioners have been
trying to maintain the city, meet the
increased cost, do more work without
increasing the tax rate, practically
keeping the expenses down to those
of the old council. Some additional
money has been available through a
readjustment of the assessments on
real estate for taxable purposes, and
tnis money has been needed. There
is not the least intimation that the
commissioners have not been scru
pulously honest, and careful in the
hnnrt tv, anC u S ' With lhe money at
hand they have done well.
Xo Open Discussion
"There is less friction, less fault
finding, less criticism. This comes in
a great part from the fact that there
is not so much open discussion. The
commissioners perform their work
and that is about all there is to It' l
though it is noticeable that they are 1
sensitive to public criticism, and en
deavor to meet it, or to profit by it
Our commissioners have been and are
«t rn « A hlgh standard was
J? ?u st Belectlon as to candi
dates and thero is a strong demand
tnat this standard bo lived up to Ev i
Ce ln ° ther cl «es. I understand"
Hi 1 thls ha " not always
been achieved, and that later bodies
have not been considered as efficient
as the first body elected.
"As to the proposition to have the
law repealed, and a new council of
seven or nine elected, with power ?o
appoint the heads of the several de-
nt'T, 1 b6ln «
witn all the provisions of such a Dlan
hat°" d wo a £id fr °n m t tne bare °ta?e£ent
as wen aTthep n r«ent7aV he PUrP ° S6
} th'nk that it Is too early to sav
ot the' Third' pi KOVernmont tor cities
oi tno Ihird Class la a failure op «
success. There are arguments both
vo a cates WU the th T ° f th °
stronger, it would to
tempt to change the law at the com
ing session of the LeglsTafure ® Com!
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mission government has not been
thoroughly tried out.
ALLEN TOWN IS SATISFIED
Charles W. Wetser, editor Alien town
Democrat and Evening Item "The
commission form of government is
working out very satisfactorily In
Allentown. lam of tho opinion that
the voters of Allentown would not
favor a proposition to abandon the
system if called upon to deride tho
question with their ballots. I attrib
ute the success of the system in Allen
town to the fact that tho members of
our council work in harmony. In
other words, there is teamwork. Each
councilman devotes his entire »lmo to
the department or departments to
which he has been assigned, 110 Is
responsible to his colleagues for the
conditions in his department. Every
councilman is at hts office at 7.30 a.
m. and remains on duty until 4.30 p.
m. Regular meetings of the council
are held when there is a free expres
sion of opinion, but there is no at
tempt made to "butt in," if I may use
a slang phrase, on the business of
each other. This plan has been work
ing out most satisfactorily and I do
not believe there is a Third Class city
in the State the government of which
is conducted in a more business-like
manner.
"If commission form of government
has failed in some cities I do not be
lieve it to be the fault of the sys
tem, but of the voters, who failed to
elect the right sort of councilmen. It
is folly to assume that commission
form of government Is a panacea for
all municipal ills. It is merely a
means to an end, and that end can
be attained if the voters, the stock
holders in the municipal corporation,
use the same fine discrimination that
the stockholders of a private corpo
ration use when they elect their direc
tors.
I "So far as the proposition to amend
the Clark bill by inserting an optional
clause is concerned, I believe the Idea
is in accordance with the home-rule
principle. If there is any city in the
State that does not wish to have com
mission form of government its wish
should be granted.
CHESTER AGAINST CHANGE
Senator Wm. C. Sproul, of the Ches
ter Times "We are very well satis
fied here with the commission form
of government, although it is a bit
more expensive than it need be. I
believe that possibly the substitution
of a small council might be more de
sirable, although we really feel op
posed to any more fooling or tinker-
U 1 ® our municipal government.
We have had a good many changes in
the past few years and just about the
time we get used to one system some
fellow conies along with a proposi
tion for a change.
STRONG FOR PRESENT FORM
Mi illiaiu MeCormU'k, editor and pro
prietor, the Reading Herald "I
would consider an abandonment of
commission government a very re
grettable step backward both for
Reading and for the State.
"I believe that the passage of the
Clark bill establishing commission
form is one of the best works that a
Pennsylvania Legislature has ever
achieved. Reading's first experience
under a commission form of govern
wa® a very satisfactory one.
"The five men chosen for the first
two years were of a far higher type
than had ornamented our council
chambers in many years. There had
occasionally been one or more first
class councilmen. The general type
was .mediocre. The people didn't
I seem to desire or expect anything but
mediocrity of personnel. Hence there
was only mediocrity of performance
and sometimes what was worse than
mediocrity. A very superior type of
councilman was chosen under the
Clark law. As a result there was
more aggressive ana resultful work
done during the first two years of
commission government than had been
thr ? u ® h many preceding years.
"Reading has done much since the
early part of 1914 which it never
contemplated doing under the old
form of government. The second
election under the commission form
was of a different sort. Only one of
the old council members was re
elected. Certain of his four associates
are of a reactionary type. But they
have been unable thus far to do any
thing disastrous. They are safeguard
ed and limited in a way which would
not have been possible under the old
council form.
* *i_^ e e arc * le for repeal,
to which you refer, as a reactionary
demand. I don't believe that any
patr otic, far-seeing, unselfish non-
Cl^! e , n , s £ ave an y Part in this
demand Of if they do, I think they
are much mistaken, and will present
ly their mistake.
™h£i? an see no advant age in the plan
which you suggest, and even if there
e / e /-,! m ? ginary advantages, I think
hotn a form of government has
been given too brief a test. I think
the time is not ripe for a change. The
optional clause does not appeal to me
L b « lev ° cities the Third Class
ought to be governed uniformly I
believe the concentrated wisdom of
citizens of Third Class cities is su
edlowns. ° f ln< " vidual segregat-
It is true that a town as big as
Reading, with 110,000 people mav
different problems from a town
of 20,000 and yet both are at present
counted Third Class cities. present
There may be errors of classifica
0°A n LLEY Ut THREE tiOnal CIaUS6 WOUld
CLASs'IITIES™* GOVT IN 3RD
allow too much autocracy. The noli
ticlans of certain cities would have
too much of their own way. Thev
could adopt a form of government
to suit themselves, i believe
composite plan, to which the men of
sundry cities have contributed of their
experience and their good sense is
passed r °bv r thp r 7 1 ' f7 d that the Jaw
passed by the Legislature should he
mandatory and inclusive."
A BAS THE CLARK ACT!
W. H. Schwartz, editor the Altoona
Tribune "I have never believed In
the possibility of providing by a gen
eral law for the necessities of the
cities lumped together under the act
dividing our cities into three classes.
If I had my way I would 'provide for
home rule for third class cities. I
am, therefore opposed to the Clark
act, a retrogression instead of an ad
vance, imposing upon the people a
wholly needless burden and produc
ing nothing in the way of increased
efficiency as compensation. I have
not yet reached that stage of ad
vancement in which I am willing to
view with satisfaction the denatured
Mayor of the Clark act; under it the
Mayor is "neither fish, flesh nor good
red herring.'V I believe there should
be a distinction between the legisla
tive and the executive branches of the
municipal government. A bas the
Clark act!"
.WILLIAMSPORT HAS ENOUGH
George E. Graff, editor and pub
lisher, the Willlamsport Sun "As
the result of our observation of the
practical workings pr the commission
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
A personal statement by Thomas E. Wilson
THE American public has known Sulz- Already we see the results of the new or
berger & Sons for over half a century. ganization. Increasing sales, heavier demands
v 1 *v f .. . . for "Majestic" products, tells the story. f I
You know the quality of their meats and
meat food products—you know the high stand- * * 7
ard maintained by Maje.tic Hams and Bacon. „ "* g ° mg '°. with the
for example stock-raiser; we are going to encourage stock ;
1 raising in every agricultural district. We
When the opportunity came to associate want the supply of livestock increased. With
myself with Sulzberger & Sons Co. I saw a our w^e facilities we should be able to bring
big, growing, successful institution, with large about conditions which will lower the price of
plants located in the right sections, with splen- meats to you.
did possibilities to be made bigger and better ... I
and broader. e belle^ve 11131 meats and meat food
products you are asked to buy should be
I knew the organization. I knew its men. handled with respect. That is why, in addi-
I knew them to be men of big ideas—"live on to tlie safeguard of United States gov
wires", eager and anxious for wider oppor- ernment inspection, we insist upon rigid clean
tunities. liness and sanitary conditions in every one of
our plants.
"S & S" built their business on their high
quality standard. They were just as jealous We want you to know and to believe that
of their good name as we are of that of th e name "Wilson & Co." is actually a pure
Wilson &Co # food name. It is a guarantee of purity, clean
liness and quality.
The advance in civilization creates new
standards, no greater advances have been So here is the splendid old "S & S" institu
made than those in the preparation of foods —after more than half a century of suc
and we, with our enlarged Company and in- cessful growth—built into a bigger, better and
creased capital, with our keen, live, enthusi- broader organization,
astic force, will meet these demands and not
only maintain the high standards of the old
Company, but will put these standards even *""7 L/ * r>
higher. I
° PRESIDENT.,
CHICAGO NEW YORK KANSAS CITY OKLAHOMA CITY LOS ANGELES
Distributing Branches in all Leading Cities of the United States and Foreign Countries | j
■ NOTE— For a short time we wiil continue to «I„.t w I
111 l use the "S& S" label-it mean, all that it /Offe*\ JUBt #ay WllSOn 8 "I
always meant, with the added strength of the I •.» .» r i » h
new organization of Wilson & Co. yvyffiy " 8 the pure food name
yj
form of government adopted for the
Third Class cities of Pennsylvania
three years ago, there is no hesitancy
on our part in designating it unsat
isfactory in a pronounced degree. It
is decidedly wasteful of the public
funds without any compensating ad
vantages discernible, except perhaps
a greater facility in passing legisla
tion, which is seldom an advantage.
The'law provides an additional head
for the fire department, but a chief
and all of the old organization is still
necessary. The street department has
another superior officer, but without
displacing a single employe under the
old system. The same is true of the
other assignments of councilmen con
templated in the Clark law apd the
sole result apparent is the placing
of these additional well-paid officers
on the salary list. The executive
overhead expense thus entailed on the
city of Williamsport amounts to 25
per cent, of its income available out
side of the lighting, fire and other
appropriations more or less fixed in
their character and which would
necessarily have to be made to meet
definite contracts or needs under any
system of government.
Salaries Without Results
"Nor can any man say, after two
elections under the Clark law, that
the payment of salaries to council
men has brought into the public ser
vice a higher class of business ability
than it commanded in the days when
it was contributed as a matter of civic
pride. Indeed, it averages decidedly
lower. There is a tendency on the
part of voters to listen to the plea of
need on the salary question and vote
down the man who has made good in
another occupation in favor of a man
whose failure in other fields leaves no
doubt that the pay attached to the
office is more necessary to him than
to the other. In fact, I consider the
present councilmanic salary the great
est defect of the present law in view
of the manifest willingness of people
of real ability to contribute their ser
vices, in a deliberative way at least, for
their city's good.
Favors Single Council
"We strongly recommend the single
council of five or more members,
elected from the city at large, to serve
without pay or for a nominal sum,
who may appoint the several chiefs
of deDartments, and an executive who
might perhaps be designated as a city
manager; a well paid, capable person
with whom they may take up all
policies or suggested laws or other
city business, just as does a corporate
board of directors with their manager,
and run the city as the best organized
businesses are. I believe this could be
accomplished without repealing all
the present law which has many good
points. The experience gained in the
past three years should make these
as apparent as its weak ones and
make possible the enactment of a
complete and satisfactory law for the
government of our cities at the com
ing session of Legislature."
LAMENTABLE FAILURE AT YORK
W. L. Taylor, head of the York
Dispatch and York Daily "So far
as making many of the Improvements
that were promised the commission
form of government has proven a
definite and lamentable failure in
York. The hand of political intrigue
is more evident and expensive than
ever before, both in the transaction
of public business and results obtain
ed. Expensive political bickering has
cost us much money. I have no doubt
whatever that if given the opportun
ity of voting upon the subject York
would, by a large majority, return to
the old form of government rather
than to continue with the new. in
my mind the ideal form of govern
ment for cities such as ours would
be worked out on the basis of an un
paid council and paid manager."
CITY MANAGER FAVORED
Charles M. KeUey, general manager
of the Altoona Times "Relative to
the working of the commission form
of government here, we can advise
you that, so far. It has failed to realize
the benefits that its advocates pre
dicted for it. We have increased our
operating cost without any appreci
able improvement in administration;
and we have failed utterly to central
ize responsibility, perhaps due to the
. JULY 28, 1916.
fact that the commissioners elected
have been keeping their eyes on a re
election and have side-stepped duties
that, while obviously necessary, have
involved features that might react un
favorably upon the political fortunes
of the commissioners.
"I am firmly convinced that com
mission government, provided right
men are elected, is a vast Improve
ment over the bicameral system. But,
unfortunately, our people cannot be
induced to recognize the importance
of selecting the right kind of men.
The basis of selection is apt to be
Church affiliation, or fraternal asso
ciation, or some other Immaterial and
frequently destructive influence that
Os%, Absolutely No Pain f
My latest Improved appll- f
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l*ed air apparatus, makea . »V >
\<l Yf.. f extracting and all dental \V k
work positively palnlea* .A» /-V- C
"Od la perfectly harm- Vv C
leaa. (As* no objection.)
EXAMINATION S.
FREE »astr»&s
nlloy 500
Reglatered Gold crown* and
Graduate » a bridge work tS, M. W
Aaalatanta T Office open dally 8:30
>%% y 22K gold cnma...|UM
"W to • p. m.| Hon., Wed.
and Sat., till 9 p. M.i Sun
day*. 10 a. m. to 1 p. in.
BKLI. PHONE 3322-R.
jf • EASY TERMS OF
PAYMENTS
(Over the Hub)
Harrlaburg, Pa. it di*nt hart. wt
is subversive of the best developmenl
of any form of government.
"It is probable that were the mattei
submitted to Altoona voters thej
would recall commission government
since there is quite a widespread be
lief that it has been a failure. Then
is warrant for this opinion, If we d(
not differentiate between the system
and those who control it.
"Personally, I favor the city man
ager plan with, perhaps, an advisor;
board selected by the voters and serv
ing without pay or for a nomina
salary. Elective heads, responsibli
directly to the people, are not, in m;
opinion, the most desirable arrange
ment."