The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-04-11

The City Council at its regular BIZ
monthly session last night discussed
many matters of interest, principal
of which was the bill now awaiting
the governors signature making many
of the present appOintive Offices cleo
tive. This discussion was precIpI-
tated by a message from the mayor
calling the attention Of the aldermanic
body TO the provisions of the bill
which has been passed and recon-
mending that the council adopt
resolution disappearing the measure.
All OF the alderman who spoke upon
the matter took the same view
as the mayor. but differed that
the council should as body take such
q step, but favored individual action.
and all messages, resolutions and mo-
tons which had been made were
withdrawn with the understanding
that other steps will be taken today
When the council convened at
o'clock there were present Mayor
Bliss presiding and Aldermen Calm
Christie, Hays. Maura, McHugh, Mar
zoni, Muldon, Reilly, Renshaw, Wright
and Yonge.
The Mayors Message
After the minutes had been reaO
and approved the following from the
mayor was read:
Honorable Board Of Aldermen, City OF
Gentlemen bill amending tie
charter of the city of Pensacola
has passed both houses of the
legislature and awaits the gov
ernor's signature. The bill pro
yides for the election of a large
number of Offices that are now ap-
pointed by your honorable board or
by the executive boards OF the city.
The bill provides also for the election
of a president of the council, who
shall be mayor pro TEN in the absence
OF the mayor.
In some respects | think the iii
contains features that might be profit
ably adopted with some notifications
without detriment 10 the city, though
| not essential. In Otner respects the
bill is i'll advised and can work moth
/ ing but harm and disorder in the city
government
In regard to the election of a presi-
dent of the council to preside over
! the deliberations of the council. | have
/ long advocated this doctrine because
( the mayor OF the city is the executive
! officer while the council is a legisla-
| tive body and | believe the council
! should have the right TO select its
own president. This bill, however.
| provides that the people shall select
the president of the council. which l
consider a departure from the prac
! tees of all legislative and deliberatiye
| bodies who exercise the right OF Sc
| lecting their own president or presid-
ing officer.
The harmful features of the bill
| awaiting the governors signature is
that il takes the selection of the exec
utive boards out of the hands Of the
executive officer of The city and out
of the hands of the council and places
il practically in the hands Of poll
! ticians. lhere is not a member OF this
council who but knows the difficulty
it is TO get good men TO serve on
executive boards even when the OF
fee IS rendered them without OppOsi
tor and if this bill becomes law
II will be necessary for men 10 run
for these offices; in other words they
will have 10 enter into political
scramb BILE and the result will be thai
the offices will be filled by men who
are not so desirable. The kind OF
imen who are needed for these boards
are not the men who can be induced
TO enter into political scTambles fol-
the office.
Another feature of the bill is that
it makes the employees OF the various
boards elective, thereby robbinS the
, boards of a large amount OF jurisdlc
ton they now have over such EN-
ployes. The curtailinS OF such power
can only result in harm 10 the city
, and the bin shoulu not become Law
!, unless the whole city government wa:
remodeled and the boards entirely
destroyed and even then the election
of such minor Offices could scsrcelH
prove of any benefit to the city.
The object Of the executive boards
is to render assistance to the execu
tive officer in fulfilling the many
duties that are impossible for one
man TO perform in every particular
and to also render such counsel and
advice as may be best suited 20 tbs
needs Of the city. The executive OF
acers should be selected by the
executive himself, subject TO such re-
;; strictions and approval as 10 render