Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-28
SHALL WE ELIMINATE THE WARD
PCLlTIClAN?

The recommendation of the state
BAR association, that the law of
Iowa should be changed, SO that the
government of the cities of Iowa shall
hereafter be vested in a council of
three aldermen, whose term of office
Shall be three years, who shall devote
their entire time to the public bust
ness, and who shall be paid an annual
salary of from $4,000 to $4,000 each,
is one that is worthy of the most care
full consideration and exhaustive dis
cussion.
That large majority of the mem
bers of the state bar association
should endorse this proposed change in
the existing municipal system, is of
itself most important fact in con-
sidering the merits Of the proposition
The members of the legal profession
are thoughtful and brainy men, whose
business brings them into daily con-
tact with public affairs and there is
no body of men in the state that know
more of the merits and demerits of the
existing system of municipal govern
ment than do the lawyers of Iowa
The plan proposed is in the nature
of a revolution over existing methods.
1t entirely eliminates the ward poll
tics by ward and locality interests.
Under the proposed plan there would
be but three aldermen, one of whom
would perform the duties of mayor
These aldermen would be elected by
the voters of the entire city, without
reference to ward divisions, one be-
ing elected each year; they would hold
Office for three years each and would
receive sufficient compensation to en-
able them to give their entire time
and ability to the city business.
The plan is somewhat similar to that
by which the counties are now govern
ed by means of board of supervisors
consisting of three members There
are, few people but will say that the
present county supervisor system is
far better than would be a system to
elect one member of the board of
supervisors from each township in the
county by the voters of the respective
townships and thus bring into the
county administration factional and
sectional differences of a demoralizing
and distracting character. If the sys-
TEN of cla-tin9 three members of the
board CT alnc~-1fEn-s by all the voters
of the COZ as giyen satisfaction,
why sheuld r2t the same plan, with
the imDrcTor cnts suggested, give
equal satisfaction in city government?
There is one thing certain, under the
present system of municipal admin
istration, either the business of the
city is neglected or the members of
the council are compelled to give to
it an amount of time and attention for
which they receive no adequate COM
pensation. Under these circumstances
there are constant temptations, that
result in the graft, bribery and cor
ruption that come to light every once
in while in municipal administra-
tions.
We believe the recommendation of
the state bar association is a good one,
/ that it should be carefully considered
'by the next Iowa general assembly and
4 that the law of Iowa should be changed
to conform to the general lines of the
recommendation made. There are
many matters of detail that would be
affected by the proposed change which
a strong and conservative organized
legislative committee would have to
work out with great care, but we
heartily approve of the general prin-
ciple involved in the suggestion.