The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-02-04
VOTING ON THE GENERAL LAW.

ference TO the desires expressed by the Business
Mems Association ana one.eighth OF the vo
tiers OF the city, as to order an election to bt
J held on the third Monday in March next, to
enable the people to vote on the question OF
, continuing under our present city charter OF
adopting for the future government of the city
the general incorporation law OF the state.
i The movement on the part of the Business
Il Mems Association as well as among the peo-
pie no doubt had its origin in the general dis
gust and alarm that is abroad in regard to the
conduct of the city government during the
past year. ancnt which We submit some re-
marks in another article, showing that such
disgust as well as alarm is fully justified The
hope, from adopting the general law, Is to be
able to get rid of the present city government
in toto and to have new set and new deal
all round If such could be the assured result,
none could support the movement with more
enthusiasm than ourselves. On looking into
the matter with some care, however, we are
unable to see where the promised good comes
IN. Is there really anything to be gained by
dropping our present charter and organizing
under the general law?
In the first place, 1t is to be remarked that
we shall gain nothing in the way OF general
powers granted to the city government, for
they are nearly identically the same In our
charter and the law, except few necessary
powers, arising out of our local situation,
which are not in the general law. Secondly,
it is said we shall have the power under the
general law to elect the city marshal, city
clerk, city treasurer, &c, which are now ap
pointed by the mayor with the advice and con.
sent of the council. With respectable mayor
and council we don't see what advantage there
would be IN that, while if the thing is really so
desirable, under our present charter the city
council has the power by ordinance to make
the officers in question eligible by vote Of the
people. o.
Then 1t is said under the general law city
officers would be dcbarred from being interes-
ted in any contracts with the city, holding any
other city office, &C.; but 1t is forgotten that
under recent decisions of the supreme court
such Is the law now.
And lastly, merit is professed to be found IN
the provision of the general law which enables
the council to pay themselves and the mayor
salaries or stlpends for their services, though
we utterly fail to see where the advantage
from such power would come in, especially
in the hands of our present city government.
1t Is an error tina, the change of the time of
election from the Sd Monday IN March to the
Sd Tuesday IN April would be saving for the
reason that 1t would bring the election on the
same day of the town elections, tor the town
elections occur on the first Tuesday in April.
The adoption of the general law would in.
vove no change in our present mode OF assess. |
ing or levying and collecting taxes, making
street or sidewalk improvements, limitation Of
taxation, loans, &c, as the city ten years ago
by popular vote adopted the provisions of the
general law pertaining to such subjects,
The change, however, would involve some
Inconvenience, chiei among which would be
the re-dlvision of the city into wards, the gen
eral law allowing but five, while now we have
seven wards. The present seven would have
to be continued for school purposes, 80 that
we should have two sets Of wards-onc TOR
school and one tor city purposes. Besides, it
IS hard to see how the city could be cut up in
to five wards with any decent regard to topo.
graphical convenience without glarlng inc
qualities in population and through it une-
quail and unjust representation IN the city
council
No-the good the Business Mems Associa-
ton hope to derive from change of charter
we apprehcnd can be more certainly looked
for In another direction 1t is to be found in
all our better class people-particularl the
business mcn-taklng a deeper and more &C
tive interest in our city affairs and city cleo
same deplorable condition VIC are In, but her
business men and better class people became
aroused, the best among them consented to be
candidates for office and the others to support
them, and the result was the election of one of
their ablest and best men for mayor and city |
council in whom the people could place conf.
dence. We must do that here, Agree upon
the best man in the town for mayor and our
most experienced and competent business men
for aldermen, make them accept the nominations,
and then turn out as one man, and without re.
gard to party or other petty divisions elect
them. 1t can be done If the sort OF people we
refer to will 1t, and we shall have no decent
city government until they do SO
THE ILLINOIS CANAL.
The pf tba IN, loo oe 10 n,