The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-14

bipartisan boards are boards. as tha
name implies, in which an equal number
OF citizens Of both parties are placed in
charge OF each department This plan has
several grave defects: first. no one is head
there are four or more heads instead OF
one. Now. every one knows that the
worst OF having too many cooks is not
that they spoil the BROTH but that
we cannot tell which particular
one we ought to kick. Responsibility can
not be fixed when thera are many in
charge. Public service should be so ar
ranged that enc man can be called 10 ae-
count for any and every mtsGen4eanor and
indirscaon. Explanations should be as FREQ
ard frank as the daylight. and how can
We set them from q board composed Of in.
eiyiduals whose personal interests are in
all likelihood keeniy enlisted to cover up
any nefarious transaction. Again. who
VIII guarantee tina; the members OF n
board VIII always be OF one and the same
mind IN respect to city improvements, or
TO any movement demanding concert OF az
ton. In closing gambling houses. for in
stance. II has been pointed OUT that each
member might give contrary instructions
from the o1her-the board thus playing a
perpetual game of see-saw. independent
OF regard for the public service or the pub
lie veal. BESIDES this. boards Of any Kind
are apt TO do their business independent NJ
each other. One board tears IN the nave
ment for sewers. another for gas. another
for water. all a. different times. and IN
spite OF the outcries of long-suGering and
mgch-ahGsed taxpayers. Then. I believe
them 10 he wronS in principle. for the u
not wipe ont marty spirit from city politics.
they only split the difference between the
partisanship Of one party aud that of an-
other In such a system ulerig and inte5-
igence fitness for the place would find
II impossible 10 secure an appointment.
aud 10 the partisans alone would belong
the spells.
The second OF these methods consists of
a single executive. or mayer, With the
right TO appoint single heads for every de-
partment Of the government. This is the
only strong plan. II is an application or
the principle on which our Federal gov
ernment is based-the mayor stan ling in
place OF the president. and the heads Of
the various departments being his cab
met. II this is not one-man power in a
national administration, why should Il he
called one-man power in city adniinistra-
ton? IL 60. 600 900 OF people can trust one
man TO manage their collective business.
why cannot il city OF iso oea people sn,rusr
one man with the same work on vastly
smaller scale FOR two or three years?
One objection TO the vesting Of the APP
pointive powN in the hands of mayor -
his probable fnexperience. Experts are
needed to handle city business, as Wa
pointed out AT the beginning. Now. In
stead OF the mayor OF q city DeiIi-
ca from among the inexperienced citizens
in municipality. It seems better TO adopt
the German plan Of professional mayors.
IL is a custom OF that country TO call "A
mayor of one city, who has demonstrated
his ability In that sphere. TO take charga
of the executive department of a larger
city, much as ministers are called from
one parish to another. The moral charac-
ter and administrative effectiveness Of a
mayor thus stand always at premium.
Cream will rise 10 the surface. and out OF
a list Of candidate gathered from within
the confines OF the state. or II need be,
from the larger area Of the nation. ex-
perts could be selected who would do JUS
tice to this high and important position.
The councils power 10 override the may
or's veto should require a four-fifths vote
in ordinary cases. and In matters OF
money or the granting of franchises the
vote should he unanimous.
The police power Is state function. and
I have often wondered upon what prfnc-
pie IL could be granted TO a city without
impairing the states duty as common
wealth. bound TO protect the lives and lib
critics OF all citizens within Its sphere n
the municipality IL still 10 exercise
this power as the deputy of the state. then
there should be one police commissioner
appointed by the mayor, and removable at
HIS pleasure having absolute control over
partment. The expenses OF this department
should illustrate poetic Justice. by being
paid from saloon licenses. funds for pros
titution. etc. Let the devil pay the sala-
ries of those who help TO keep him In
order.
Th, Increased municipailzation OF those
irdu@ ,Ties which serve the public at large
is dreaded by many from fear Of increased
corruption and dishonesty. This. it seems
TO me, could be avoided I'm part by the
method above suggested, of concentrating
responsibility In the hands or one official
responsible TO the public. and appointing
his own Superntendents or commission
ers over the various departments of adj
ministration. ard by the second plan 1T
which we are 10 write. viz. the intro
duction OF the principle OF civil service re-
form into every municipal bureau. The
clerks and subordinates in each depart
ment should he compelled TO pass strict
examination as regards their qualifIcs-
tons for the office applied for and should
be required TO furnish over and above any
bond that might be required. certificate
of good character from six freehoiiera OF
the city and from ut least ore minister
Then from the list OF such men submitted
By the board. the commissioner may pick
ont his deputies and clerks as he pIeaxes
without danger TO the public veal.
There IL q yast deal more IN he men
toned: The council Of one eharnbar
emaneipated from the fear Of the bosses
with ciirtailed legislative power: the fire
system. which should, above all others be-
controlled by experts. the saloons, which
would organize ON the Gothenburg prfncf-
pie 50 as TO eliminate all private profit
from the sale OF liquor the pavements %
asphalt for the lighter vehicles and gran
tie for heavy te8minR: the sewage. winch
should be received In immense under
ground tanks and sold FOR fertilizers. IN.
refuse being burned tn crerna,ory; the
public schools each surrounded nv ~,
campus, where military drills should be
compulsory. At less; for the boys; the
manual training school one % which
should be established I'm every city: the
large market house in the center OF the
town, with It's low. fat roo. laid out for
public pleasure garden. on the Euronesr
plan; the library and art institute and free
swimming baths. with the yearly provision
for their maintenance: the spacious marks
with a gymnasium in each The hartlel,l-
turai gardens maintained by their en-
trance fees. "a IN Toronto; and go on. W.
III ne perfect environment has baen Gre
ate1
With the revenue from rnunIciparsxlr,
public works and the decreas~ In nor-n..
ton. but little extra taxation usu no 70
CURED for these improvements n anv
Philadelphia pays Is per cent OF her ev
peHses every year with the income from
her gas works alone. Berlin yavS ~ rar
cert. with TIE same. Why cannot aeattlnz
Behind this reformed rruugr3raFffs
however. and most important o. all is The
need % sensitive and determined civic
conscience: a body of citizens too broad %
allow personal or party Interests 70 sor,1{-
nate meg minds In ,he consideration Of