, 1875-02-14
THE CITY.
THE MUNICIPAL AMENDMENTS.
ACTION TAKEN At hpH1ydFTEIn

ACTION TAKEr At srRxoF1Em.
~ Ms Editor ar The Chteano Tribune:
CHICAGO, Feb 1s.-We learn from Springfield
shat the Senate Committee upon Municipal At
fairs lave considered the amendments to the
General Municipal Incorporation act aad have
rnnde some vcry Important and mischieyous
changes therein. the principal one Of which is
concerning the powers OF the Mayor.
The act Sec. I, Art. 2. ns It now stands. gives
he Mayor power to remove any appointive
nf6cer On any formal charge, whenever, in his
opinion. the interest OF the caty requires such
removal. and the City Council has no power over
snch act Of removal. the law only requi.iug the
Mayor to send his reasons therefor to the Coru-
e0 It its next meeting, the only check on tie
Mayor being that formal charges shall be made
before such removal could take place. and the
check shlch due regard for public opinion
would have by requiring the 1easous for the re-
5novai to he made public
THIS is substantially tho II Mayors hill.~ late}y
upheld By decision Of ths Supreme Court IS
constitutional.
The Citizens Association, for the purpose Of
preventing opposition to the amendments 10 the
lav prepared under their auspices, and to csn-
cifiate all parties. it possible. proposed an
ameadmeut by which the supposed absolute
power Of removal glyen to the Mayor By the law
IS it now stands would he modified and you'd set
1savs home power IN tsst officer to meet the
vast responsibilities cast upon him; their
amendment gcve the Mayor the power to remove
whenever in his epluiou tho interest OF the city
required it. Int plsced the Mayor in the same
feia.lee position ns TO that power thst he occu-
plea in regard to ordinances paesed by the Coun-
Gil, the Council having power TO overcome ils
veto By \ swo-thirds vote It was gwen the
power to annul any removal by Like two
thirds vote Of Ill tho members Of the
Council authorized by la" TO be elected.
9T+. ~. nf has t+..
duced the Senate Connmi; tee TO amend tae bill
10 as to proyida that bare majority Of tie
Councilmen Of the rpper branch uay set seide
the Mayors removal. The bill proyloea that The
Council Board shalt consist. OF o7!y thlrteen
members. Consequently RUG OF aeren uem-
bers could nu!Lf5 any removal made by the
Mayor. Why does Senator heLoe insist on this
vicious Amendment II looks like unmihgated
deEsEogis1u-
The power given the Mayor by the law ss it
now staads. is The power that be ought to have
it ts \ necessity, il We desire eoo3 government,
and government WITH SONIC Iiud OF 4 lead to
it 1hs modification Of this power. bv giving
tbs Council the Fight to roinssste the officer by
ons, to the leaaers Of the Peoples u
party, in. order TO indues them to
join With the Citizens in the effo,t
to improve this general law SO as to maze it
nnrn sdaplablo to Lhe necess.t:ea OF our city;
but, il the amendments proposed are to be dem
agogucd to dea-h IN this manner. it would bs
better to let the general law asoue-
The power OF removal With the authority |
giveu to the Conncil.nen or upper house " to
Ret As:ds the remova, by tare minority vole, 80
reduces the Mayors power that 1t amounts to |
nothing. The Mayor might rs we'll be dispensed j
With altogether. and the city be authorized TO be
governed by ring Of seven cur Of ulirteen
counclmen. EEu
The amendments proposed by the Citizens
Association are an attempt to franc our new |
[ttv f11lVaFnnant rn1er fj4A rnrtYAt 1Nu n n
a1ogy 10 the Unlled States Government. Heads !
of department, instead ct boards" cabinet, |
ETC.. are prs,yided let, but in the most important
particular, the power given to tire executive head
of tne Government to remove untrustworthy or |
Inefficient oldcers. the analogy is not to be fol- t
owed. We c=ii upon tie General Assembly 10
EArs ~ from this p,ecs of de1naxog,sm.
lAE-Ap-ORDEn.