Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-28

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concise and scientific system Of Accounting
by all cities should be adopted. The en-
Gineers, physicians, bookkeepers, EXPERTS
and professional men In all branches Of the
public service, who make the piis suit OF
municipal affairs a study. should be well
paid for their services and encuiiraged by
Promotions and advances IN sssiiassy Hpag
in other corporate service. When employees
prove themselves unfit for the service. they
should be dismissed and their places hllcd
by persons more suitable to the position
RepaIring OF streets.
Two important matters in municipal af-
fairs which come strikingly before the pub
lie are worthy of special note, The organ
izatlbns for the maintenance and repair OF
pavements and walks and those for keep
ing them clean-for nothing strikes the
svenege taxpayer more than hlthy stsee ,n,
work to be done should be given and the
best and most economical methods OF Ell
stone pavements or Chicago and other
cities owe their wretcked. condition pri-
niariiy to mistaken idea OF the economy
OF cheap sand base construction mf place
Of Jan unyieding one. AS result the
shifting sands move about by variable,
loads and tNs everlasting ,CuJs and disturb
ances Incident to growing cities create
uneven, ever-growlng irreRularity sof sur-
face that recalls ultimately the early cordu-
roytroads. 1t would be economy to replace
.fhR old base with concrete, which owing
to its unyielding nature will 'iNsist the
tendency TO create rutsAand develop a"unl-
paved streets the other problem OF keeping
them clean can more easily be solved Both
organizations require honest. capable SUI
pervision and skilled help, (which can only
be maintained under a civil service system.
That no mistake be made under such a sys-
TEN and to prevent the retention Of .incom-
petent men, they all should, first be EN-
ployed subject to change at the will of
the foreman within the first six months,
sGsf WHICH Nh Ietsntisi, should be binder civil
should prevail with the sewer. park and
other departments and, like the practice In
vogue by many great railway organiza-
tiohs monthly or quarterly meetings OF
the heads of departments. foremen and
INSPECTORS should be called and, questions
the betterment of the service. y -
j Best Form of Government g,
In, conclusion it is proper. having deeried,
partisan politics in municipal service. to
endeavor by suggestions tor point out a
remedy. 1t must be conceded that the bus
mess AFFAIRS of city, the services of its
health board, water board, engineering de-
payments and public works departments,
lawss departments, accounting and taxing
and treasurer departments, can have no
bearing or relation to the questions af-
fectlng national affairs; they are purely bus
mess affairs. That being, so. why can they
not be handled in a business way? The
question first to be answered, What is
the best form for efficient municipal add
mthi min Experience sesg,s TO show
sent the varied. wants OF the .peonle of
every section&of athe city should be had.
Il is simply question Of how, many and
how to Proceed to select them. Then eN-
periences has also shown that the excctI
tive work of corporations should be linz
,b 20 as rev as posslp1s eens,s! en- MIN wi.
of every important department To elm.
mate partissnship at the start and there
assembly based on one Tor every 900
voters by the creation of districts or
wards for that purpose. The assembly
termination by petitionP3so SIGNATURES. OF,
bona hde voters of the district to consti-
tute' basis OF such nomination.. and no
petition-thus an :. assemblym to. have
his name considered must have primarily
the endorsement of $50 voters--and only
eight in all could enter the field Tor cleo
ton The clerk of election to publish. the
eight or less petltioned for on Tie tickets
to be voted, no other election or question.
TO be considered. Thus a Bdn-partisan'
assembly OF representative mems one: for
every 1000, would be given ite. Thus
assembly. when Organized, TO select the
eminent with the night to- mnkerA change
within the first year for cause, after Civ
IN bearing to the Person proposed TO
a presiding, ofieer for FIVE years who shan
be mayor. az oflcio during the absence or
ssss s,sS q Ss the EHSh S
charse< under civil servfce rules and TO
select ala spberdinates under tiyil service
.fulehs supJeSl. Np.-reguOyhtS Only -uuFlnB- IQt-
FIRST probationary year. the persons re-
moved to be given ID heHffng, befUfe@ife
execntive. boards before ianatr actiofri fs'
taken. 80 ipsure, econquiy, and honesty
a psfmaneff. @Iintestigating board OF
twefif ~ halfsbeS createds 10y atlie assembly.
with thsJpower at all tiTnes' to sexactsirso
formation from every depa rtuGRt emplpye
,conceghipg affafrs within his anowlehse,
and the assembly upon reported charges,
such board to have power to remove after
giving O. hearing,to the party complained
OF II deemed Justified, All SPECIAL rules.
and ordinances to emanate from the
branch of service affected. but TO be senl
dorsed by the legal departments as,in con-
forfnity withs law and all general ordiS,
nances to be prepared under the general
direction of the executive board The as
semblymen to have no lawmakihg pow,
ers, but "a. consider all complaints and re-
quests deemed by them Just and proper,
to the executive board for action and TO
pass upon the annual tax levies. Thus
we would simplify municipal. government,
eliminate, red tape and politics, focalize
responsibility and develop municipal cor
porations upon modern practical lines n
the interests OF theI people, Before this
can be done in, many cities, legislation
will be necessary to give cities the right
to prepare their own charter regulations
subject 10 any constitutional restrictions