The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-02

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. westphal, Nelson
Ordinances-Castner Westpbal, Holmes. |
Rules-McCoy, Starkweather, Gerber.
Bethany Home-Ehle, Nye, Saterlee.
MAYOR JONES' MESSAGE /
Document Names Several Ideas Which |
Will Be Taken Up.
Mayor Jones' inaugural message was
as follows:
The occasion which brings us together
today Is not only the Inauguration Of the
mayor, but the beginning of the two-year
term Of the next council. The executive
and legislative departments thus assume |
together important duties and RESPONSE
bilities. The city charter provides that
"the mayor shall from time to time give
the city council such information, and
recommend such measures, as he may
deem advantageous to the city,
Somewhat unusual circumstances have
prevented my presenting to you today
anything like comprehensive message,
following the time-honored usage Of the
past, but may from time to time, as
suggested by the charter, send to your
honorable body communications more in
detail having bearing upon matters of
vital public interest. -
Ours is a city government by council, |
In which: body most Of the important mu-
nic1pal functions are located to be per-
formed thru the medium of committees.
I do not recall any instance among the
larger American cities where greater re-
sponsibilities are imposed, or larger op-
portunities for public service are offered,
than here in Minneapolis. You, as men,
bers of the council, serve the municipal
corporation as board of directors to
practically transact most Of its business;
while the mayor, to continue the figure,
is a sort Of executive head to see that
your orders are carried out. The en-
tire revenues Of the city are placed I'M
der your control, and the annual expendi-
ture Of sum now considerably over
100000 is made entirely under your
direction. You raise the money and you
spend it without any check outside Of
your own body where the responsibility
rests as a whole. The exercise Of sound
business judgment with economical man
agement thru the heads Of the several
departments justifles this council form Of
government, while the Lack Of both con-
dennis it.
AS mayor. 12cannot directly connect
with your body except thru the exercise
of the veto power, and even that check
Is subject to the adverse action OF two
thirds Of your membership. The inf1u-
ence of the mayor, therefore, is only in
direct, but In my own case six years of
service In the council has given me a
personal asset Of no small value in con-
nection with our Joint relations. shall
feel In consequences even livelier interest
in the success Of your. labors in behalf
of the welfare Of the community, and I
stand ready to: cooperate with you in
any way, and at all times, without desir-
ing to become at all obtrlsive.
: The Mayors, yspeciac Duties.
But while the mayor may not directly
effect legislation, he is not left without
grave responsibilities in the conduct of
his office. The chief magistrate Of this
city is responsible for good order and for
the security OF the life and property of
its citizens. He should also aim to
maintain q standard Of civic conduct
which corresponds with the high average
Of character and intelligence Of the in
dividual citizenship: In my opinion, the
conservation Of public morals In this city
should be the chief Goncern of its mayor
and am profoundly impressed with my
responsibility in this connection. Seldom
in municipal history has g. mayor faced
greater problems in his particular depart
ment than ara now presented to me, and
realize that my attitude toward them
will have much to do with determining
the standard of municipal morals in this
community. During the campaign Just
closed I assumed, In the plainest Ian
| guage 1 could command. certain respon-
s1bilities In the event Of my election. I
left no doubt as to my attitude toward
certain public evils which have so seri-
ously impaired the reputation Of this city,
and I stand pledged to a certain course
of action against them, from which I
have no notion Of retreating. The peo-
pie who elected me were not misled, and
am justified In assuming that they
expect me to carry out my promises.
The homes Of this city must be protected
from rampant indecency and lawlessness,
| for the home interest is paramount in
this community, and I have a right to
ask and expect the cooperation Of every
good citizen along these lines. There are
some evils In large and rapidly growing
city like this which all respectable ele-
ments in society are agreed should be
abolished.
s.s The Police Department..
The police force is the chief instru-
ment placed by. the charter in the hands
of the mayor to- effect the results aimed
| at and there are virtually no limitations
on his use Of it. The best results can
only be secured, therefore, thru spirit
of loyalty and hearty cooperation on the
part of the force, and nothing short OF
the most efficient service on the part OF
both officers and men will be acceptable
In the work Of arriving at this standard
In the reorganization of the force, nc
Partially will be shown, neither will any
kind Of political or personal pull be rec.
ognized The police department belongs
to the taxpayers and is not persona
perquisite of the mayor, who Is simply
the servant of the public In his direction
of the department. G.-~
The present force of about 235 men, o.
which only ISL are in active patrol ser
vice, is far too small to satisfactory,
cover the city, for we now have but {
few more men than we had fifteen year!
ago, with about half our present popula,
tion. AS there are no physical limita
lions to the growth Of Minneapolis 1
can easily be seen that the area for DO
I! lice protection covers almost our entir
f1fty-three square miles Of territory w,
have the smallest police force in tn
country among our own class Of cities
taking area and population into account
Much could be said upon this subject
but 1t Is not my purpose in this short ad
dress to more fully develop the PLAN
for enlargement Of the police depart
ment. BY your permission I shall b
pleased at another time to discuss Thu
important branch OF our city government
in a more detailed and COMPREHENSIVE,
manner.
Civil Service.
VI Tn, ~ %ta,, oa,,II e,o,,,,;,- =