The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-02


municipal reform, is attending the confer
ence.
The experience Of Kansas city. which has
adopted charter OF It's own. was related
by Clarence 9. Palmer. who said that not
per cent or the voters OF the city would
return to the old style If given an oppor-
tuntty. The Supreme Court had held that
the Legislature could not amend the char
ter
pal programme and OF the paper that had
been read in the estimation of Augustus L.
Mason, OF this city, was the. greater power
OF self-government proposed. The evil Of
classification Of cities. so great in some
States, he did not regard as serious in Indi-
ana, probably because there are but few
large and many small cities.
Another Ohio man. l.. E. Holden. Of
Cleveland, said he Endorsed every word OF
Mr.. Demings paper. The absence OF the
spirit OF local self-government he said,
was a curse to his State. The city charter
on Cleveland. he said; centralized all power
In the mayor 1t had proved dangerous to
vest much power in one man. The mayor
of Toledo Samuel NJ. Jones, told how the
city OF Toledo was, by state law, prohibited
from providing for competitive bidding for
public electric lights. It was hardly neceS-
sary to ask the reason for the restriction.
G. j. Murphy, of Evansville, president OF
the Indiana State Board of Commerce, re-
cited the history of Evansvilles attempt to
secure a new charter, and told Of the bene-
nts that had been reaped under 1t. Mr..
Murphy said:
The city charter of Evansville, Ind, went
into effect in 1898. 1t Is a very near APP
proach to the ideal charter recommended by
the committee appointed TO submit its report
TO the sixth annual convention of the Ma
tional Conference for Good City Govern
ment. The election for city officers is for
two years-at a spring election-and mayor
and Council are the only elective officers.
The mayor appoints school trustees, water
works trustees, the city judge and all heads
of departments. The Council IS composed
of enc chamber, with -four members elected
from the city at large and seven members
from the respective wards. The Council
elects its presiding officer and clerk, who
~ 70 n n
made annually by the Council upon recon-
mendations from the various departments
through the mayor, the controller being tho
financial officer. The heads of departments
must have their contracts ratified by the
Council to make them valid There has been
no friction between the parts or this ma
chinery and the efficiency of government
secured by it is of a high standard. The
only apparent friction has been of per-
sonal kind, where officials were not con-
genial or in differences of opinion in refer
ence to some OF the minor details or policies
embodied in the charter. AS these matters
involve no fundamental principles they are
not easily settled by argument Nothing has
developed to shake the confidence Of tho
friends of the charter in the utility of the
plan. The moral results are seen in better
class OF officers, more dignihed proceedings
in Council and less suspicion and cOndemna-
ton by the people and the press. Taxes
have been reduced each year since 1883 from
$1.60 to $1.0 on the sl0Q without lowering
efficiency in government or raising the as
sessments'
A CITY RUN BY GAMBLERS.
A. " G. Lindley, of Nashville, Tenn, dis
cussed conditions in his city, which, he
said is run by gamblers and saloon keepers
is in debt 10 per cent. of its valuation and
has laid tax of 25 cents on the dollar.
Mr. Demings paper was Endorsed by Sam
uel B. Capen, of Boston, saying the partic-
ular feature that appealed to his mind was
the separation of the municipal from the
state government In Boston the expert
ment of having single commissioners over
various city departments, instead of boards
has proved satisfactory.
Following the public meeting there was
an executive session, lasting until nearly
O'clock
Samuel B. Capen, Of Boston. presided at
the afternoon meeting. A paper on The
Place of the Council and the Mayor in the
Organization Of Municipal Government-the
Necessity Of Distinguishing Legislation
from Administration" was to have been read
by DR.. Frank j. Goodnow professor of adj
ministrative law in Columbia University
but, in his unavoidable absence, the paper
was read by George w. Guthrie, OF Pitts
burg. Mr. Guthrie prefaced the reading OK
DR.. Goodnow's paper with some remarks
concerning the municipal programme lalo
down by the committee. His remarks were
brought out by something that had been
said at the morning meeting. 1t had been
the purpose of the committee, he said, 10
submit a form Of government that would
The people, ne said must work out good
government for themselves. No system OF
balances or checks would bring about good
government 1t must be the result OF
strong public sentiment. Legislative inter
ference, to which attention had been Called
he said was due TO corrupt influences ana
comes either from desire to exercise power
or from legislators from the rural districts
thinking they know better what The city
wants than the city itself.
Proceeding to the programme of the after
noon Mr.. Guthrie read DR.. GoGdnow's paper
an abstract of which is as follows:
10 n lnYlrN ont IF
governmental activity, which require for
their advantageous treatment large technical
skill and knowledge, and with the develop
ment of more centralized administrative
system, which offers no excuse for treating
administrative officers as political in char
acter, the fundamental principle that adj
ministration is field of government in
which politics should not enter IS making
steady progress. Public opinion based
upon that principle is demanding with in
creasing force that in municipal govern
ment which is so distinctively adminls-
tradve, the function of legislation, l. G, the
function of determining policy must pc
clearly distinguished from the function OK
administration, l. e.. the function OF carry
ing out policy after its determination to the
end that municipal administration may be
efficient, and municipal legislation may con-
sisr in The determination OF local psonley
representing the wishes OF a majority OF the
municipal population.
I'VE can do much towards strengthening
this opinion by Incorporating the prlneiple
on which it rests into our municipal organi-
cation. For, while public opinion must be
back of all law, 1t is also true tnaJ law mas
much influence in moding public opinion.
The civi-service law could not have been
passed had there not been strong pubic
opinion, but it is not to be doubted that
the enforcement of the law has done much
to strengthen public opinion. Can IL be
doubted that the incorporation In the mu-
nicipal organization OF this fundamental
principle of the separation of legislation ana
administration will fail to have the same
effect? Can we hope for any great I'M
provement in municipal conditions unless we
take this step?'
A LOUISVILLE MANS VIEWS.
Edward j. McDermott. of Louisville, who
was to have opened the discussion, gave
way to Clarence S. Palmer, Of Kansas City,
who explained that he had to catch his
train in half an hour. Mr. Palmer was for
three years associated with the law depart
ment of the Kansas City government and
his ideas with regard to municipal govern
ment were the result of practical observa-
ton. He took issue with the idea that the
appointing power should be lodged in the
mayor, contending that while the mayor
ought to appoint the heads of departments
they in turn should appoint the subordin-
ates.
IF our entire system of government by
the majority is not failure" he said, the
Judgment of the people upon questions of
municipal policy like the ownership or
water works and lighting plants, progress
sive or conservative policy In regard to
policy regarding parks, bouleyards and IL
braries, and many other questions arising
in a modern city, will. if directed to these
questions alone, generally be right. These