1.  The plan would make the individuals who hold the power directly
    responsible at all times to the citizens.

    2.  It would make the responsibility for all municipal action easy to
    trace.

    3.  It would get abler men to serve the city.

    4.  It would take municipal government out of politics.

    5.  It would hold municipal administration up to the same standards
    of honesty and efficiency as private business.

    6.  It would make it difficult to elect representatives of corrupt
    interests.

    7.  It would make possible advantageous dealings with public-service
    corporations.

    8.  It would make possible the immediate removal of an unfaithful
    official.

    9.  It would tend to interest the citizens intelligently in municipal
    affairs.

    10.  It has worked well wherever it has been tried.

On the negative side the following points might be urged: 

    1.  The plan is a complete departure from the traditional American
    theory of government.

    2.  It throws away a chance for training in public affairs for a
    considerable body of young men.

    3.  It might put very great power in the hands of unworthy men.

    4.  Corrupt interests, having a larger stake, would work harder to
    control the city.

    5.  Past experience gives no reason to expect the constant interest
    on the part of citizens which is necessary to make so great
    concentration of power safe.

    6.  With further increase in the foreign population of the city there
    will be danger from race and religious clannishness.

    7.  A return to the old-fashioned town government, or some such
    modification of it as has been tried at Newport, would enlist the
    active interest of more citizens.

    8.  The system is still an experiment.

    9.  The present success of the plan in various places is largely to
    be ascribed to its novelty.

    10.  The present system has in the past given good government.

    11.  The liability to recall will keep public officials from
    initiating advantageous policies if they would be detrimental to
    part of the city, or if they were unpopular because of novelty.

In most cases, as here, you will get too many points to argue out in the space which is at your disposal.  Fifteen hundred or two thousand words are very soon eaten up when you begin to state evidence in any detail, and arguments written in school or college can rarely be longer.  You must look forward, therefore, to not more than four or five main issues.  In going over and comparing the points which you have jotted down in this preliminary statement you must consequently be prepared to throw out all that are not obviously important.  Even when you have done this you will usually have more than enough points left to fill your space, and must make some close decisions before you get at those which you finally decide to argue out.