Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-08-13

We print elsewhere in this issue the
draft Of a Municipal Code for Ohio,
prepared by commltteesof the State
Board of Commerce, and made public
by that body on Saturday last.
We ask careful reading and con-
sideration of this proposed measure;
1t will well bear both. Its extreme
brevity, as 1t does less
than 1000 words, all told, Is not less
noticeable than commendable, pro-
yided of course that condensation has
not been had at the expense of clear
ness. The master curse of modern
enactment is prolixity. The more
words are multiplied and repeated In
laws, the larger is the opportunity for
q rascally lawyer to cayil as to their
meaning. and tho oftener are the
courts called upon to construe them.
The more they are called in question
ana interpreted, the less certain in
effect and application do they be-
come, and the less confidence do the
people have In their efficiency.
Rarely in legislation has so COM
prehensive measure been proposed
In the space covered by this.
The next feature to bcremarked In
the proposed code is the almost CON-
plete trust that II reposes in the peo-
pie to be governed by 1t. 1t reserves
to the Legislature only these limita-
tons, viz; op the powers of taxation,
assessments, borrowing money, con-
tracing debts. and loaning the credit
of the corporation. In all things else
II permits absolute home rule. The
people of each city or village may form
their own charter or local constitu-
ton. the number and kind of officers
they will have. their salaries and
terms of service, and SO forth. Thus
the responsibility for good or bad
local government Is brought directly
home to the people themselves; they
must shoulder 1t and bear IL all the
while, and If at any time they fail
In IL, the remedy also is with them
~ Lot hav I,a nj,
istered probably more speedily and
effectually than by any other plan
which may he devised. Under such
system if valuable franchises OF
other special privileges belonging to
the public were to be bartered away
or given up improyidently, the people
would know the fact and could on
the spot guard against the mischief,
of sight and by the devious methods
which always shun popular scrutiny.
If publicity can control the trusts,
then under the proposed code greedy
corporations would not be likely Ia
get something for nothing, ,.-at least
not without the people knowing 1t.
The theory upon which this pro
posed code Is bottomed Is the exact
reverse of that upon which the other
schemes for municipal government
are proceeding. Its substantial idea
is that the Legislature should stop
with laying down the broad land
marks of the system. and let the peo-
pie work out their own municipal
salvation along those lines, but other.
wise and as to details in their own
way and according to what each To-
cality conceives Its peculiar needs Ia
be. Hence 1t undertakes to have the
General Assembly delegate nothing
but general powers to the municipall
ties OF the State, and then to let the
voters themselves chPse as to how
they shall be exercised 1t In effect
says to the Legislatures: "I.ay the
Foundation along general principles
and then. mastery inactivity as tc
ull things else"
The measure contemplated by Gov