The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-02

comes the unorganized independent voters.
The greatest complaint in municipal govern
ment has been inefdciency, which has pro-
ouced corruption, while on the other hand
corruption has also produced inefficiency.
One great source of corruption has been
free gifts OF franchises, for which large
sums We're paid openly or secretly. THAT
source Of corruption said the speaker,
can almost be stopped by a public sale of
franchises under rigid and well-considered
regulations" He said that corruption also
appeared in the acceptance of public con-
tract work by unskilful officers or those
who would not turn their backs upon
bribery and f1attery. Half of the time of
the council ana the mayor he said, was too
often taken UP with the dispensation of
patronage. This was an evil that might be
remedied Reciting the various functions
usually held by councils Mr. McDermott
asked whether it would be we'll to confine
their powers to the passage of ordinances,
fixing the tax rate and the annual budget.
Would it be safe,' he asked, ito trust the
mayor and his subordinates with everything
else? No private corporation" he replied
to his own question, would give such pow
er to its president and so completely destroy
the authority of the board of directors" He
urged that the mayor should take part in
legislation by means of his veto. At the
same time he thought the council should
now and then have a check over his powers,
as In the making of large contracts.
THE DISCUSSION CLOSED.
John A. Butler, of Milwaukee, closed the
formal discussion. He urged that a prime
necessity in American cities is the concen-
tration of responsibility. 1--WE can never
have a responsible executive force as long
as we have an executive council said he
Each head of a. department should be re-
sponsible to the mayor for it's work, and the
mayor should be responsible for all heads
of departments and should have the power
to discharge them at any time for cause
provided the cause is not of a political char
acter and is clearly set forth in a recorded
document In Milwaukee the mavor really
forms no very essential part of the admin
1Strat1Ve force Of the city We have the
usual checks and balances. The mayor S
veto IS one or them. The controller must
examine and cOuntersign contracts, and the
clty's legal force gives opinions which are
sometimes intended as a restraint, but are
not Dlndlng on the council. There is really
only one check that is effective and that is
the councils will, and the worst is that re-
sponslbllty such as It is, is SO divided
scattered over the whole field in that strong
hold of administrative control, the council
thing.
How can elective officials. no one Of
whom can be held to individual responsible
lty, and whose fate at the next election de-
pends upon hordeS of saloon keepers con-
tractors and ward heelers who helped them
INTO of1ce exercise executive powers with
gudlclal lmpartiality, to say nothing of their
lack of special capacity in matters of thA
highest Importance, involving technical skill
and knowledge? How can there be any clear
ana definite executive responsibility unless
we bring order out Of confusion by abso-
iutely separating and clearly defining legis-
Iative and administrative powers? A state
ment OF the case seems to be the only argu-
ment required
There We're several brief and informal dis
cusslons Of various ideas that had been ad-
Yanced in which Edward Kibler of Cleve-
land, member Of the municipal code COM
mission; Professor Bowen, of Cleveland
also a member of the commission; Senator
ham, of Dubuque Ia, and Professor Col
Ans' OF Syracuse, N. Y, participated.