The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-07-29
Capital Gor|ip
BY GEO. r. BLAKE,
(stan Correspondent

n OLUMBUS, July 2S.--Governor
~ Nash has abandoned his police
board plan. He made this known at
the second conference on the pro-
in the state house Saturday afternoon.
The governors plan was that the code
should provide that the chiefs of po-
lice of cities should be appointed by
the governor. Public sentiment seems
to favor the selection of such officials
by the people themselves, and 50
pronounced has become the feeling
that this method should obtain that
the governor has become persuaded
that it would be unwise to hold out
against It.
The first draft of the code, which
was drawn at Cincinnati by Senator
Longworth and Wade II. Ellis, assist
ant corporation counsel of that city,
was submitted and gone over carefully
at the conference. Besides these two
gentlemen present were Governor
Nash, Special Counsel S. w. Bennett,
of the attorney generals office; Sen
ators Harding and Dunham and Rep
resentatives Thomas, Guerin, Cole,
Hagenbuch, Denman and Speaker Nc
Kinnon. The fact that Senator Arch
er, who was in this city Friday, did
not remain for the conference occa-
stoned some comment. 1t was stated,
that Senator Connell would attend, but
he failed to come. While the code
which was considered is still in an
incomplete state and while it will be
subjected to much change it will real
ly form the basis for the bill which
the governor will ask the legislature
to pass.
The draft places the line of demark
alton between cities and villages at
$1,000, but the sense of the conference
was that this figure should be re-
duced to 10000, which will probably be
done. The elective officers are to be
mayor, city auditor, city treasurer,
police Judge and police clerk, the
terms of Office being fixed at three
years. Councilmen are to be chosen from
districts, except one member elect
ed at large who is to be the presi-
dent. Council is given power to ap-
point a clerk, and the city solicitor is
to be appointed by the mayor.
A definite number of councilmen Is
specified, but the number is left blank.
Representative Guerin suggested that
in cities under $4,000 the council
should consist of nine members, and
for every $4,000 over this population
there should be three members added,
but the plan was not given serious
consideration. Two boards are pro-
vided fora board of public service
and board of charities. The former
will be administrative and it consists
of from one to five members, it's func-
tions being to direct the operation of
street improvements, street cleaning,
parks, docks, sewers, waterworks,
street lighting, etc. Council is the
legislative body and is vested with
much power. One proposition was
that authority to grant franchises be
delegated to the judge of the COM
mon pleas court, but it was decided
that this power should be given coun-
Gil.
The power of veto is given the may
or. Care has he6n exercised in de-
fning the duties of the three divi-
sions of local government, executive,
judiciary and legislative, so as to OBJ
viate danger of confiction. There was
some divergence of opinion among
those present concerning the makeup
of the code as presented, in view OF
which some notifications of it's pres
ent provisions may be expected. The
chief object of Governor Nash in call
ing the conference was to get an ex-
preston from the leaders as to what
they think should go into the code
and to also acquaint them with his
ideas on the subject Speaker Nc
Kinnon did not enter into the discus
sions, explaining it would not he
meet for him to do SO because of his