The herald., 1894-12-06

has permitted incompetent, careless ol
designing men 30 great q latitude in the
administration OF public Offices es tc
burden the city with an expense fol
the management OF current and ordinary
affairs far out of proportion to the ser.
vices rendered, and also to permit tae
efficiency OF the public service to reach
a very low ebb. Another grave fault oil
the present charter ia that it fails in
every way to provide for the placing ol
responsibility for ineficiency and ex-
travagance. The present council haa
been hampered in its management of
city affairs by tho faults of the charter,
and recognizing the desirability of in
provement therein, set to work some
few months since to prepare amend
ments; and the Citizens league, pur-
suing it's policy of assisting and encour~
aging anything and everything that
will tend to enhance the welfare OF the
city, offered its services in the work.
Through its efforts, a committee con-
sisting OF three of it's mem bers and
three from each OF the following organi-
cations, the chamber OF commerce, the
board of trade and the Merchants ASSOC
citation, Was created to cooperate with
the council committee in preparing
charter amendments. Nearly foul
monthe' time has been spent in thir
work and the result OF their labors is
now before the people for their ratiiica'
tion. The proposed amendments are
not in all respects what the mem bers o
the citizens committee hoped and en-
deavored to procure. as the mem bers o
the council, with whom the final deci
sion rested, could not be convinced OIL
the desirability of adopting the propo-
eitions advanced in their entirety. but
the notifications made are long stride
in the direction of the objects sought.
and as the charter, if amended ss pro-
posed, will be great Improvement on
the present city law, it's adoption by the
people is O most desirable object that
should be attained.
There have been some chsngea made
in the number of Offices, notably the
abolshment of the offices o; assessor
and tax collector. Besides these, the
number of school directors ia reduced
by two, the sealer OF weights and meas.
uree is dropped and building commits
sion is established. The abolition OF the
two former officers needs little comment
here. es it has long been generally ac-
cepted conclusion that the money spent
in their maintenance was large, pse-
less expense to the city because of the
fact that the work done by them is but
q repetition of that done by county
officials, and the saving which the do
ing away with them will effect will be
considered later on. The Office Of sealer
of weights and measures was such &
useless one that the council has long
since practically done away with it by
ordinance. The building commission is
much needed addition TO the city
government, as the administration OF
this department under the present
method 10 fer from satisfactory and there
have been some sad bIunders made.
This commission will be m posed OF men
of approved char cter and ability and
must be- chosen from those professions
wherein mem bership is guarantee Of
the possession of such technical knowl-
edge as members of such q commission
should possess, and its presence in the
city government will cost nothing, for,
like all other commisaions, it's members
are not paid.
Quite a change 10 made in she numbsr
of officers who arc to be elected and the
experience OF many other cities much
larger than ours is guarantee that
these changes will be greatly for the
better. 1t ia here that the question OF
cuts large figure. Whan
the mayor is elected and is surrounded
BY score of officials who are also elect