Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-20

AMERICAN
CITIES
STRONGLY URGED BEFORE
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
Commission System vs. Mayor
and Council Contfasted as
Showing the Advantages OF
the DeS MOines Plan.

Norfolk We sept i8-To1a} p
session of the eleventh annual conren-
ton ~ me American League - Mu-
inequalities was devoted aim0s 81
cluslkeiy 70 the discussion 20 Muulcf-
pal Government hs Commission YER
ege Mayor and Clfg Council
Taking FOR his subject MHuielpai
Government BY BOARD ~ Commiss On
Versus Mayor and city Council far-
mer Mayor J. NJ Head ~ NASHVILLE.
Tenn, said In part
We may a. well enter into thts DIS
russlon aith the distinct understand
ing that there IL and can be- no such
thing - a perfect form ~ cts S
eminent. 80 i0nG ~ BE- has o. Pc ao-
mlnisiered b IMPERFECT men
40 matter what the form ~ city
government may be. ifs efficiency $50
b. determined very largely hy those
entrusted with its administration ~
that suy Of % can hope 70 do D. O.
approximate the ideal - near as pos
sible with the material We have %
deal with.
The highest ideal ever yet &
pressed BY any form ~ government o.
that n should be a government - inc
people. By the people and for the pep-
pie. and as we Approximate thai
standard We approach nearest 90 cur
ideals ~ , perfect form u govern
mpnt. whether IL be Tor the city. the
efaie Or the nation
Outside u New England. an our
ciy governments have partaken more
~ les o. The English ideas ~ gov-
consisting - n legislative. *
eeutiYe and Judicial department WIN
the legislative Department divided Into
two branches corresponding % the
English house - Lords and commons
The sbsurdity ~ attempting 90 APP
pix these ideas Of government % our
elites seems never 20 have occurred 60
-uaA usnngl 'sa04ss5uu Ap4nis &no
tBre the prediction there q n9t a eliy
official present here today where such
= system etiii prevails who does mot
apnreciafa it, ineniciency. q Who
would not ahoiish 81 n he could IN
many cities however. the two branch
- - the city council have been abol-
ished
Another glarluE absurdity under
which nur clts governments have alb
ored Il the idea that our ciiies Hfc
werr branches or arms - the state
Ess y: and have. and can exef-
cleo ~ pawerF except az he state irg-
stature may from time % slime rff-
init This idea entiralS Ignores the
cardinal doctrine upon which nil orr
are based-the doctrine
NI NNN.NA E1Nh 49, " HNHH"HHH H
our city governments practically un-
der she control - men nho do not re-
side in the cities. aud VINO krew abb
s~niuteiy nothing ~ their local need.
aud requirements These are radical
defects ln the present organization ~
pur ciiy government. which should ne
corrected A. soon a. possible,
The real cause. however. which has
made our city governments such Il Fig-
nal failure has arisen within % post
hfty years, long after our present
forms 81 CITY governments were cstnh.
iished. refer. 81 course. 60 the dufy
which has developed upon cts
governments ~ granting franchises 20
public service corporations There o.
not an instance where city govern
meut has finally broken down, where
city officials - betrayed their trust.
where this ~r0ttounsss. lncumpctFncA
Hnd inenicioncy IN tho administration
II city Affairs cannot be traced direct
IS nr Indirectly 90 the pcrulcious In
nuence ~ the public service corpora
tinn. I know this o. a broad stale
ment I fnow that whisky gambling
and other evils aVe contributed their
fun share - the corruption ~ city
politics. but not an Instance can be
found where these influences alone,
ard unaidcd hy the so-eallcd respect
able backing % the public service cor
poration boss have ever for any
length uf time successfully prevailed
against the better element of Tho e1m-
muuity. or succeeded la dcbauchlnE au
entire city government az public serve