Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-05-04
A DIFFERENCE.
The Matter of Appointment OF
Overseer of the Poor.
WHERE THE RIGHT BELONGS

Acted Last Week and the Authority I'm
der Which the Appointing Power is Del |
egated strictly to the City-The Law on |
the Subject
The action of the board of supervil
sors at its recent session in departing
from the custom of merely confirm
ing the appointment by the city of
township overseer of the poor. in as
Stunning itself the appointing power
absolute, and naming Charles Engel,
has occasioned more or less comment |
and there is quite a difference of
opinion on the subject. The board, |
from what can be learned, took upon |
itself the appointing powe~ on the
ground that OverSeer Engels time |
had expired. and by the authority |
of the following, which is section IS of
chapter 107 of the statutes of Illinois:
In counties under township organ
iZation the supervisors of the respec-
tive towns therein shall be eX-otficio
overseers of The poor in their towns,
provided, that for towns containing
four thousand $4,000 inhabitants or
over. upon written request of said
supervisors, the county board may
appoint an overseer who is resident
of said town. fix his compensation
and term of office, which shall not
exceed the term OF said board.
Grounds for the City's Action.
The law under which the city has
always had the appointing power is
contained in chapter 16 of the laws
| and ordinances OF the city, and which
reads:
The election OF highway commits
sioners Is hereby discontinued. the
offices of city and town clerk shall be
united. and the city clerk shall per
form the duties OF both offices; the
/ offices OF treasurer and town collector
shall he united. and the city treas
| urer shall perform the duties of both
offices; the Office of supervisor and
township poormaster shall be sep
aratcd. and the poormaster be APP
pointed by the city council: and all
the powers vested in the town OF Rock
Island shall be exercised by the city
council of said city.
While under chapter 139 OF the
general statutes of the state prOvid-
| ing for the township organization of
cities. and authorizing the board to
give cities township organization,
and upon the strength of such au-
thoritv having been delegated to the
city of Rock Island. the ordinance
above quoted from was passed. we
| find the following:
That the county board, in any
| county under township organization,
NAV provide that the territory en-
braced within any city in such coun-
ty shall be organized As Il town:
Provided. such territory shall have
population of not less than 5000.
And provided. the city council in
such city shall by resolution request
such action by the county board.
The territory of any city now or
ganized, within the limits of any
county under township organization,
and not situated within any town,
shall be deemed to be Il town.
All town officers within any town
organized as aforesaid shall be elected
at the annual charter election of such
city. All general elections held in
such city and town shall be held at
the same voting places as the city
elections. with Judges and clerks APP
pointed in like manner as for the city
elections.
The powers vested in such town
shall be exercised by the city council.
The city council in such city and
| town. may, by ordinance. provide
! that the officers of city and town
| clerk shall be united in the same
person: that the officers of treasurer
! and town collector shall be united in
| the same person; that the election OF
| highway commissioners shall be dis
continued. and that the offices OF
| supervisor and poormaster shall he
separated, and the poormaster APP
! pointed by the city council.
The boards Position Tnwarranted.
In the face of these conditions, all
of which apply to Rock Island, the
board of supervisors has overstepPed
| the law in the premises just as 1t dld
rs regard the Moline case and as
Judge Glenn held, and Mayor Medill
/ need not. unless so disposed any way,
consider himself bound by the action
thereupon taken by the board. In
deed, recognizing the sole right and
authority of the mayor. MIR. Engel
had applied to him in person for the
appointment and had fully expected
rcappointment at>the hands of Mayor
McConochie in the event of mis- re-
election. but receiving no assurance
from Mayor Medill either way,
he sought to secure the office
through the medium of the
county board. There have been
other candidates prominently and
urgently mentioned for the Office, and
the ARGUS cannot see that the mayor
is deprived of his proper and CUSTOM
airy privileges in the matter by the