ior to
an isolated council, because the work of city legislation and
administration must be unalterably connected; because the councilmen
must have a direct and technical knowledge of city affairs; and,
because the councilmen must be representative of the whole city.

Mr. Vincent Starzinger, the second speaker on the Negative, said:

The Affirmative continue to direct their attack against the "old
form." Yet my colleague has suggested substantial changes in present
city organization, changes which have brought about success
wherever tried. Moreover, we wish to make it clear that we are not
necessarily standing for a division of power. There may be
separately constituted departments of government, one primarily for
administration, the other primarily for legislation, yet a
concentration of authority in one of them, as in the case under the
cabinet system of Europe. The gentlemen of the opposition are
advocating not only a concentration of power, but a fusion of
functions as well. Their commission is at once the executive cabinet
and the legislative body.

We have heard much about the practical working of the new plan. Upon
this matter, the Negative shall have a few words to say before the
close of the debate. But granting for the sake of argument that the
commission form has operated with some degree of success in a few
small towns, especially when compared with the admitted inefficient
machinery of government in vogue before its adoption and when
favored by an aroused civic interest, nevertheless, it does not
follow that it is adapted to the needs of the typical American city.
There, administration is a matter of great complexity and of vital
importance. Boston has pay-rolls including 12,000 and annual
expenditure of $40,000,000. Successful administration under such
conditions has necessitated the growth of city departments. The
heads of the various departments constitute an executive cabinet.
Under the commission form, this cabinet is established by popular
election and made the single governmental body for the performance
of both the legislative and the administrative functions.

Such a fusion of functions must necessarily result: in poor
administration; in the sacrifice of legislation; and in the ultimate
destruction of local self-government.

Consider the problem of adm