The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-11
GOOD FOR CITIES.
Legislature Will Approve Com
mission Plan.
House Committee Reports 1t
FavOrably.
WICHITA HAS A PLAN.
Would Incorporate " The
RecaIP' in Measure.
Give the People a Chance at Rec
reant officials.

The house has favorably reported
from the committee of the whole the
commission bill for governing cities OF
the first class. The report on the Din
was made without discussion on sat
urday afternoon, but it was agreed
that the bill should be reported sub
1ect to amendment and debate, which
is one way of transferring the debate
from the committee to the floor of the
house.
1t is believed that the commission
bill will be passed by the house, as II
has many friends, not only among the
representatives from cities of the first
class. but among other representatives,
who believe that city government as al
present conducted might be improved
Npon. The commission plan is looked
.tpon with favor by people from Wich-
1ta, Kansas City, Fort Scott and other
cities, and four or five of the second
class cities of the state want the Dill
Txed so that second class cities may
adopt the same plan of city govern
ment.
Citizens of Wichita and members of
the Chamber of Commerce of that city
propose an amendment to the commits
sion bill in the legislature which will
tie a string to members of the COM
mission and jerk them back into line
and make them play right If they are
4nCtlneQ 10 cut up.
The string is to be recall
w. ]. Babb of the Chamber of Com
merce was in Topeka Saturday in con-
ference with F. G. Dreaming, city at
torney, and others relative to the re-
call amendment which proposes to en-
able citizens under a petition to force
the resignation of a member of the
board of commissioners who by his
official acts has become distasteful to
the majority of the legal voters of the
%
either corrupt or inefficient. The petit
ton when presented and filed with the
city clerk must contain a clean ma
jority of the names of the voters vot-
ing at city election. The commits
sioner must then resign and an cleo
ton is held to fill the vacancy thus
created. The section Of the amend
ment proposed shows the plan of pro
cedure followed when an extremity of
this nature arises:
Whenever any city official elected
under the provisions of this act shall
fail to faithfully perform the duties of |
his office as prescribed by law, or shall |
disobey the instructions of his con- |
stftuents. when such instructions are |
presented by petition in writing duly |
signed by a majority of the voter Vot-
Ing at the election at which said Of
fetal was elected, or when such Of |
fetal is guilty of malfeasance, corrup- |
ton, bribery, waste or other Official |
or acts derogatory to the /
Interests and welfare of his con-
stituents.
Said recall shall be effective and be-
come operative when a majority in num- /
Der OF voters, voting at the election at !
which such official was elected, shall |
file with the city clerk petition signed |
by a majority of said voters, asking for |
a special election to elect a successor |
to the official named in the petition. |
sheets, and in addition to the name Of |
the petitioner shall contain the numoer |
and place of residence of each signer
The genuineness of the signatures to |
person or persons obtained the sigma
lures.
"On presentation of such petition. tte
clerk shall issue a notice for special |
election. to be held not later thaa so |
days after the filing of the petition.
The election shall be held at the usual
place of holding elections. or at such
places as may be fixed by the commits
sioners.
THE notice of the election shall be
published in one or more newspapers
circulated in the city, for not less than
three weekly insertions. prior to the
election.
'.The commissioners shall select the
Judges and clerks of said election. The
petitioners for the special election shall
nave representatives on the election
boards. The votes shall be counted and
to the city clerk as in other
,ity elections. Within three days after
said election the commissioners shall
examine and count the returns and an
bounce the result.
THE official against whom the petit
ion has been filed may be a candidate
again. by filing his petition as above
stated.
If the petition for recall is filed with
n so days of a regular election, no spe-
,ial election shall be held. The recall
hall be included in the general cleo
ion-"
The House worked away steadily in
committee of the whole on SATURDAY.
-fternoon, and recommended a good
many important bills.
The house had a lot of fun over the
red can" bill. This bill was killed in