The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-06-07
INDIAN TERRITORY.
TOWN ORGANIZATION.
IsOw Towns In the Indian Territory Mus:
Be Organized IN Accordance with
the Statutes Of Arkansas.

cent issue, gives an article on
Town Organization" which at
this particular time so closely cen
Germs our people that we reproduce
it. 1t reads:
The new town government which
will be put into operation immediate
ly after the election of a mayor, re-
corder and Ave aldermen. will be in
some respects different from the
town government that has hereto
fore prev allied.
Generally speaking, the mayor,
within the corporate limits, will have
the same Jurisdiction as q United |
States commissioner in all civil and
criminal cases. In addition to this
he will have power to enforce what
ever ordinances may be enacted by |
the council of the town.
1t is important to remember at the
very beginning that certain formal
ties are requisite i. the passage OF al
ordinance, and if these are not com
piled with the ordinance is void. As
the expense of publishing an ordi-
nance ranges from one dollar to nYe
or six dollars, and as officers acting
under ordinances that are void are
trespassers and liable for the acts
accordingly, it becomes of para
mount Importance that each ordl-
nance should be carefully drawn and
passed.
The following are some of the i'm
portant requirements in the making
of ordinances:
Each ordinance shall have but one
subject, which shall be clearly stated
an the title.
They require for their passage u
= majority of the aldermen, and not
simply a majority of those present.
They must be fully and distinctly
read at two different meetings, not
} on the same day, unless this rule Is
dispensed with by two-thirds vote.
The yeas and nays must be called
and recorded on the passage of each
ordinance.
The ordinance must be recorded IN
book kept for the purpose and au
thenticated by the signatures OF th'
presiding officer (mayor) and th'
clerk (recorder).
They must be published in some
7 newspaper of general circulation il
the town if any there be.
r. The above are the formalities tina
= are generally to be observed in tn
> passage of laws by any Legislative
body. but in addition to these re
ouirements there are quite a numbe
of restraints and limitations place
by the law on the power of munic
nal corporations not so easy of class
In ification.
ln However, the council has tn
power, generally, to make such ord
nances as are not inconsistent wit
the constitution of the United States
laws of congress or the laws Of 4
=, kansas adopted in this Territory,
NAV be necessary to carry into enc
- and discharge the powers and duti'
conferred on such towns by law,
, peciaIly to secure the inhabitants
the town against injury by mr.
~ thieves, burglars, robbers and 9th
persons violating the public peae
and to preserve the peace sSte
and health of the people and to pr
- mote the prosperity, improve {
'Io morals, order, comfort and conYe
ITS ience of the inhabitants OF sucn tow
Though the mayor, acting as
~ commissioner or justice OF the peae
has power to assess fines for all {
acts prohibited as misdemeanors
. the nrovisions of Mansieid's Dige
II ia likely that in order that
fines should go into the town tre
= ury, these statutes should be ADOPT
as ordinances. Thus the mayor,
e the next day after his qualifcati'
could assess a fine Of not less ii
$50 nor more than 500 for carryin
,St pistol, yet this fine would belong
the United States unless we pass
cws ordinance adopting this law agai
,u pistoI-carrying or defining and p
II. fishing the offense.
~ The adoption of the laws OF
pair kansas defining and Furnishing Z
demeanors can be accomplished
ming one ordinance, and this will lii
'e he the first work of the council.
II will be noticed that the law
. ~ vides for the election of a mayor
. corder and five aldermen, and
for other officers. 1t is Provi'
however, that the council may cr'