in its place a
commission council.

Under the isolated council a member is elected to represent a
certain section of the city. He must do this, no matter what may be
the effect upon the rest of the city. For example, in legislating on
the annual budget, each ward boss brings pressure to bear upon his
own councilman to have certain levies reduced, and to secure
stipulated appropriations for his own ward. In New York City last
spring, Bird S. Coler, representing a part of Brooklyn, blocked
every appropriation until he secured certain selfish measures for
his own district. What is true of New York is an annual occurrence
in practically every other ward-ruled American city.

Furthermore, councilmen from one ward are shamefully unresponsive to
the needs and desires of citizens in other wards. Just this summer
the council of Duluth, Minn., granted saloon licenses for a ward in
which 90 per cent of its citizens signed a written protest against
such action. The councilmen representing that district were helpless
to prevent the legislation and the citizens themselves had no
recourse whatsoever. The grand jury in St. Louis reported that the
wards of that city were an actual menace to decency and good
government.

With these instances before us it is well to remember that the
scheme of ward representation is a necessary part of the practical
operation of the separation of powers in government. This is
exemplified in our national, state, and city organizations. In fact,
the principal reason for an isolated legislative body is that the
sentiments of the different localities may be expressed in
legislation. The practical result is that 95 per cent of our city
governments are based upon ward representation, nor can an instance
be cited in all American political theory which shows the creation
of a successful political organization based upon an isolated
legislative body in which there has not been an accompanying
representation by territorial districts. This principle is always
the same no matter whether it be a congressional district of the
national government or a ward of the city government. Hence, it is
for this principle that the gentlemen must contend if they wish to
argue for an isolated council in city government.

In conclusion, Honorable Judges, a commission council is super