The San Francisco call., 1897-08-13
THE GLASGOW CHARTER.

To the Editor of the San Francisco CdIi-s1R:
During the year 1895 the city of Glasgow was
redistricted, and the number of wards was in
creased from sixteen to twenty-five, each
ward having three members of the Town
Council or City Council as we should say, the
term of Office being for three years, one e-third
or twenty-five of the members retiring each
year, SO as to secure rotation in Office, new
member being thus elected annually from
each of the twenty-f five wards, which now
bear names instead of numbers as formerly,
such as Dalmsrnock, Calton, Mile-End, King
ston, Kelvinside, etc., the old names of locali-
ties being given to the wards, as If we should
have Hayes Valley ward, Mission ward,
Rincon Hill ward, etc.
The Lord Provost, or Mayor, is chosen by the
Town Council and he is elected sor a term of
three years. Any member OF the seventy-five
is eligible to election to the office of Lord
Provost and if elected during the third year
of his term as Councilman he still holds office
for three years On page II of Sir James Bells
elaborate work on Glasgow, Its Municipal
Organization and Administration" recently
issued, the duties OF the Lord Provost are tn us
enumerated: "He is the first magistrate OF the
city end Lord Lieutenant of the county of the
CITY," or city and county, as we should say.
GAS president or chairman of the Council he
has eliberative and, in case of need. cast
ing vote in all deliberations and decisions.
He is ex-officio a member of all the conf nit
tees of the Council, a mem ber of tie Glasgow
University Court, and there is scarcely an in
stitution in the city which does not consider
it has claim upon his services" 'He is called
upon to preside at innumerable society meet
ings and public lectures and entertainments"
In word as Dr. Albert Shaw, in his admira-
BILE work on Mum icipal Government in Great
Britain puts it, the Lord Provost "personifies
the pomp and dignity of municI pality; but,
except in his capacity as member OF the
Council. he has no important executive re-
sponsibility."
Unlike most American city Mayors, the
Lord Provost has no veto power and makes
no appoihtment Is. ut is important" says DR..
Shaw, page 7S, "to make clear 10 American
readers that the Lord Provost is in no sense
administrative head as is the American
Mayor. and that there is not in British cities
any disposition whatever to concentrate ap-
pointing power and executive control in the
hands Of one man as an effective way 10 secure
res sponsible admi nistrat1on. There is moth
ing in British organization or experience TO
ment can be secured only by making the
Mayor a dictator" English and scottish
cities have a more democratic government
than the American.
Two magistrates called "bailies' are Sc
lecied by the Council and they with the Pro-
vost become members OF the Council, making
full Council consist of seventy-elght MEM
be1s. All the authority of the munici paIity
is invested in this Town Council and the
body is officially designated "the Lord Pro-
vost. Magistrates and Council Under various
acts OF aTliament this Council, as De- Shaw
has IT, Is divided into committees known as:
~ Water Comm issioners, t2) Gas Trustees,
(3) Market and Slaughter house Comm iss ion-
ers, ~ Parks and Galleries Trustees, (5) City
improvement Trustees and (6) Police Commits
sioners.
A consideration of the duties and powers of
these general committees, their subdivisions
and practical rking must be reserved for
another time. will only add that the
population of Glasgow is zoo, 900, about double
that OF San Francisco, and that only ratepay-
or taxpayers are entitled to vote at city
elections. JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
Essex street, Aug. H. 1897