The herald., 1896-02-29
ARE FOR MUNICIPAL REFORM

honest AM capable man, and to con-
fine the puncil to powers purely legis-
lative, as congress is confined? The sue
cess of tbs plan in the national govern
ment is rot the only proof of its merit.
The government of a city is in reality only
a matterof business, and OH every hand
we see e9idences of the wisdom of this plan.
All successful mercantile firms have
definitehead, no matter how many differ-
ent pesons are connected with it. All
corporations, no matter what they may be
engaged in nor how extensive their inter-
ests ard operations may be, owe their sue
cess Dr. failure to the judgment and
sapacty, or the lack thereof, of some one
man h whom the executive power is vested.
Thisidea is not the startling innovation
that some timid people who are greatly
afrai of zone man power" seem to think
it is In many European cities, whose ad-
Illustrations, it must be confessed, are
fasuperior to ours, this plan has long pre-
vafd and has proved an unqualified sue
ces. Our eastern neighbars are rapidly
lerning the value of this plan also, several
ofhem having already adopted it.
WISDOM OF EXPERIENCE
1t is my privilege to be in correspondence
With the national reform associations of
dr country and with several local bodies,
y which am enabled to receive all papers
ut forth by the leading writer's of the day
,n these matters, and 1 find that all of
these agree upon two points, one of which
lis the separation of the executive and leg
islatve functions and the other is the
necessity Of holding local elections at
times distant as far as possible from ma
tional elections. This latter point is one
that should receive careful attention in
tioIhl parties have nothing to do with
city government and all their influences
shulld be removed from city affairs. If
mans house is af1re he will not stop fire.
man to find whether he is a Republican or
Democrat. What he is interested in then,
iswhether or not the fireman knows how
tcput out fire. This idea of eliminating
rings to mind the matter most vitality
lecessary in good city government, an
efficient civil service. We need a
composed of five or
more competent men, whose duty
shall be to examine all applicants for EN-.
ployment in the municipal government, to
determine their fitness. 1t should have
Jurisdiction over all departments, the cleri-
cal positions, as we'll as the f1remen, police
men and all other employees, and an es-
sential part of its examination should be
a trial of not less than thirty days in the
position to which the applicant aspires,
without cost to the city. That is to say,
that after the applicant has given to the
commission evidence of the possession of
intelligence and technical knowledge sufh-
cient to fit him for the place. he should
show by an actual performance of the
duties that he possesses the necessary
executive ability. 1t should also be care
fully provided that no removals should be
made except for good cause. Under such
system all positions would always be
filled by competent and trustworthy men
and the influence of the undesirable ele-
ments of society would bA removed from
city politics, for there would be no pap to
strive for.
REDUCE THE OFFICES
Another change necessary is a reduction
in the number of offices. We have too
many officers drawing big salaries. Sew
eral Establishments and consultations could
be made which would materially reduce
the cost without impairing the efficiency
of the service, but which, on the contrary,
would actually effect an improvement.
Our charter should provide for the assess
ment and collection of city taxes by county
officials. The advisability of this plan
cannot be questioned. It would be large
annual saving to the city and in the mat
ter of convenience to the taxpayers, in per-
mitting them to pay all their taxes at one
time and place, would be exceedingly val
liable. This can easily be arranged by
making the necessary provision in the
charter and prevailing upon the legislature
to enact general law permitting the work
to be done by county officials. To provide
against a possible refusal by the legisla-
ture to take the necessary action, the char
ter should provide an alternative plan, by
which, in case of such refusal, the city
treasurer would be ex-off1cio tax collector
and the city auditor would be ex-otficio
assessor, and the latter should copy the
rOvv svnct nnN
of making separate assessment. In case
we are compelled to adopt this latter plan
it would afford at least some measure of
relief from the present onerous system by
reducing the cost.
1t is of course unwarrantable to make a
paper such as this of sufficient length to
review in detail all changes in our charter
that would be advantageous, but aside
from those touched upon there are few
that at least should be mentioned. Among
other offices that should be consolidated
are those of city engineer, street superin-
tendent and water overseer. The duties of
these offices are analogous to consider
able degree, which sometimes causes con-
fiict and consequent delay and annoyance
one head, thereby saving two large salaries
and greatly increasing the efficiency of
these departments.
CITY MONEYS
All moneys paid into the city should go
directly to the treasury and should not be
collected by different officials and retained
by them for varying lengths of time, as is
sometimes the case now.
Provisions should be made for keeping
the city's books on business principles and
not leaving them subject to change from
time to time to suit the whims of different
auditors or erratic experts.
A careful and comprehensive system of
reports should be devised for all officers,
to the end that the Auditors office will at
all times have a complete account of the
transactions and condition of the whole city
government, which will give intelligent in
formation without laborious search.
With these brief references to few of
the most important matters connected
with the reform of our city affairs, I will
close. In this much needed work of i'm.
l feel that this powerful Or
ganization, representing as it does the COM
mercial interests, Influences and ability of
this city, should enact leading part, and
I believe that should you take the initiative
there would at once gather around you an
influence and support that would bring un-
qualified success to most necessary and
labor.
thank you for your courtesy and kind
attention.
Mr.. Grifflth's paper was listened to with
marked attention throughout.
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION
Hon. T. W. Brotherton was the next
speaker introduced. Mr.. Brotherton spoke
for thirty minutes upon the two topics of
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