Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-08-08


exercise all executive, legislative, and
judicial powers and duties now had,
possessed, and exercised by the mayor,
city council, board of public works,
park commissioners, board of police
and fire commissioners board of water
works trustees, board of library trus-
tees, solicitor, assessor, treasurer, aud
Iitor, city engineer, and other executive |
and administrative officers in cities of 1
the first class and cities acting under |
special charter. The executive and adj
ministrative powers, authority, and du- /
ties in such cities shall be distributed |
into and among five departments, as |
follows:
1. Department of public affairs.
2. Department of accounts and IL |
lnances.
~ 3. Department of public safety.
4. Department of streets and public
| improvements.
>. Department Of parks and public
property.
THE council shall determine the
ipowers and duties To be performed by,
| and assign them to the appropriate
department, shall prescribe the powers
and duties of officers and employees;
may assign particular officers and en-
lplOyes to one or more of the depart
ments, may require an officer or en-
plOye to perform duties in two or more
departments, and may make such other
rules and regulations as may be neces-
sary or proper for the efficient and
economical conduct of the business of
the city"
| Great Power I'm Few Hands.
In other words, the five commits
siOners may run the affairs of the city
as business Misunderstanding whom
they please, discharging whom they
want to, and spending the city's money
just as they would their own-in the
most economical manner possible. The
citizens of Des Moines tell the five
men, whom they think are honest and
efficient, Here are the reins of gov
eminent; see that you handle them
carefully"
To make certain that the government
lis properly administered, the men who
wrote the charter provide the recall.
This section permits the citizens, upon
IpetitiOn of % per cent Of the voters, to
enforce the resignation of an Offend
ling commissioner. When the recall pc
Itition is filed. new man is nominated
land the offending commissioner must
take his chances at second election.
And if he hasn't been good, his office
I,, tIA l.,
Some of the enemies of the new plan
ideclare that this section is imperative.
because the charter fails to provide a
method for nominating a successor to
/ the recalled official. The legislature
, will probably be asked to amend this
t section ar its next session.
The people also have another safe
guard III the initiative and referendum.
Upon petition of 10 per cent of the voters
an ordinance may be held up and with
petition of % per cent the people
may initiate legislation. A 10 per cent
petition requires the council to sus-
pend action and submit a proposed ord,
nance to the people. Upon a petition
of 10 per cent the council must either
pass proposed legislation or submit it
to a popular vote.
Features of New Law.
The new law has many other feat
ures. For instance, it prohibits any
emplOye from being interested in any
city contract or in any public service
corporation contract. or in accepting
favors from any such corporations are
expected to be entirely eliminated un
der the new law. Candidates are pro
Ihibited from giving or receiving money
from making political promises, or from
promising any favor to voters. The
city officials themselves are prohibited
from working in the interest of any
candidate. Heavy penalties are provid
ed in each case. The five commission
Iers divide the departments among
themselves, with the exception of The
mayor, who heads the department o
public affairs. He has no veto power
/, a majority vote governing all actions
, This has been urged as argumen
against the plan, the enemies of thu
new charter claiming that the entir
, power of the city is placed in tn,
hands of three men. The civil servic
provisions are made unusually strong
| and practically all employees of tn
. city with the exception of personal EN-
ployes are governed by civil servic
, restrictions. Both the police and fir
departments are taken out of politics
The new plan also provides for CON
8 plete publicity of all city affairs, wit
publication of expense vouchers, az
counts, etc.
. The new law contains a provision
also that it may be dropped after a ST
t years trial if it proves unsatisfactory
This, it is charged, also enforces tn
charter upon the city for that long
time.
Other Iowa cities are looking wit
anxious eyes upon Des Moines to Sc
= how it works in this city. That wa
M one of the reasons why the new cha,
W ter had such little difficulty in gettin
NJ through the legislature. Members iron
t6n oil off o1,