Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-20


for It's regular session last winter was
thoroughly bad. Its work was clumsi-
ly done at best,--so much so that Its |
bungling enactments had deprived the
Supreme Court Of Its jurisdiction and
rendered Of doubtful validity the
mechanics lien law, and the methods
pursued by those who controlled 1t
were unsavory with the taint Of cor
ruptioa.
But when that body was again called
together by the Governor, 1t had an
exceptional opportunity not only to
clear up charges not obscurely made
as to its past, but also to present to the
whole country scheme of municipal
government calculated to secure at
once efficiency, purity, vigor and
economy Of administration. This
chance has been recklessly thrown
away and worse than wasted, at the
bidding of as corrupt gang Of bosses
ms ever infested the purlieus Of cap
itol, or piled their avocation of indus
trial highwaymen on Hounslow heath.
The judgment of the courts deny
ing the validity Of city governments
instituted by special act, had swept
the boards clear of all impediment and
left the legislative stage ready for the
upbullding of an entirely new and
comprehensive structure of municipal
administration.
There was, and there is, no doubt
as to what kind of city government
the people of Ohio wanted and now
want. From every corner Of the
state,-in the newspapers, by personal
appeals to members of the Legislature
and from the stump the undoubted
cry for home rule came up. Equally
without doubt the particular form of
home rule which clear majority Of
the public desired for their cities was
that known as the federal plan. 1t
had the advantage of n ten years
trial in Cleveland, and the supreme
merit of being able to bring RESPONSE
bility for abuses Of administration
straight home to just one man. upon
whom II conferred all the subordinate
appointing power, but made his own
office elective and himself thus directly
accountable to the people. The claim
urged against this scheme of city
government was that 1t gave an op-
portunity for bad Mayor to build up
machine for the promotion of his
personal ends and ambitions. To
stnte the claim is to refute IL; and
the experience Of Cleveland verifies
the refutation, If the office is per-
verted to the personal profit of the
Incumbent. the remedy-sharp and un.
erring Is In the hands of the people
themselves, and they can administer
1t directly by defeating him at the
first election Mr.. johnson is now the
Mayor of Cleveland precisely for this
reason. McKisson built up a machine
to perpetuate his own power BY
virtue Of this singleness of their ad
ministrative head, the people. MS soon
as they could reach IL by their ballots
struck 1t from his political shoulders
ana left him politically forever a
beaten and discredited man.
linden the board system, advocated
by Governor Nash and administered
by George B. Cox In Cincinnati the
really responsible head can never be
reached by the voice of popular opln.
ion expressed at the polls. No matter
how gross the misuse of municipa
power may be in a government OF
boards the actual culprit cannot bt
brought to light; he can skuk behind
the screen of one board which owes
it's office to another, and this In turr
to some other appointing power, un
til at last when the head Is In sight
It 10 found TO have Its obligation to
answer at the bar of public justice st
complicated with other considerations
and Is so far removed from the partic
nlar wrong to be rdghted, that tn,
grievance and the offender are alik,
lost sight Of, and misgoyernment 1,
1t once condoned and perpetuated
Each delinquent when accused point,
to another and says; "Its him."
Such being the issue, the duty of tn,
Legislature. II 1t had been made II,
OF honest and patriotic men, seem
reasonably clear. And they We're re
minded of 1t with vigor and frequency
Municipal associations. Boards o
Trade, Chambers Of Commerce, an,
the like, by memorials sent and argu
rnents made before them. did not fai
n remind them of what thax, .,,>.