The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-28
LEAGUE FAvORS
DIES MONIES PLAN
Committee to Be Appointed to
Go to Iowa to Study Pro-
posed System.
NEW DIRECTORS CHOSEN
TANGIBLE EFFORTS TO CHANGE
CITY GOVERNMENT.
NEW DIRECTORS CHOSEN

endorsement of the idea Of government
h.. commission for Salt Lake along lines
,jniIar 10 the plan now in vogue in Des
,roines was enthusiastically and unani-
r,o,,slv voted by the Civic Improvement
league in its meeting in the Y. NJ L A
let evening. Three new directors, Sam
mel Newhouse, Richard P Morris ana
Edwin Z. Holmes, were elected
THE Civic Improvement league meeting
,-as very well attended and the folloW-
ing directors were present: W Mont
I,errv. president: O. II. Hewlett, wee
rresident; Robert B. Porter. secretary.
n p Stephens Carl A. Badger. henry
" Lawrence. w C. Farrell, William B.
wallace. John d. Spencer. Oscar l. Cox
n II Walker. Mrs. Georgia Foote, D.
H. Livingston and Rev Elmer l. tTOsIlen'
Henry W. Lawrence presented me Ieso-
Iution that the directors approve the com
mission plan of government for SaIt Lake
IN conformity with the general plan OF
government which now rules the CITY OF
pes Moines. The resolution had the
stamp OF unanimous approval placeo Oh
il bv the vote of the members.
The report of the committee appointed
sonc time ago BY the organization 70
perfect a plan of government that Wouiu
suit Salt Lakes conditions, was submit
ted bv Frank B. Stephens. after weeks
Of consideration by the committee Ac-
ton on the report was postponed unul
committee from the organization can
visit Des Moines TO thoroughly inquire
into the conditions there.
President W. Mont Ferry was delegated
TO appoint the committee 10 go 10 Des
MOines with the understanding that MI
Ferry would be a member or that com
ulIttee The committee may also visit
Galveston. Tex, TO inquire into the Cal
weston plan Of commission government.
The report submitted by Mr.. Stephens
Committees Report.
ITO the Board of Directors of the Salt
Lake City Civic Improvement League:
Your committee on legislation respect
fully reports that it has given cOnsidera-
ton TO the matter of the form of legisla-
ton which it would recommend for the
purpose OF adopting n commissioner sys-
tenn of government. and begs TO report as
follows:
Number Of Commissioners. Your COM
mittee has given very careful considera-
ton TO this question. In Galveston there
are five commissioners: in Des Moines.
five; in the city OF Washington. three,
and under the county commissioner sys-
TEN FOL county government, the usual
number IS three. In Dies MOines the plan
has been adopted of having each commits
sioner act as the head of n city depart
ment- Your committee Will watch the de-
velOpment of this plan with a great deal of
interest. but the unanimous Judgment of
this committee is thai there are very
many objections 10 il. We believe that il
would tend to build up factions in the
board of commissioners: that they would
not give sufficient consideration TO the
business of the city as a whole; and that
There would be a tendency TO log-rOlling
and agreeing TO keep their hands off each
others departments. Your committee is
OF the opinion that tile city should have
the advantage of the united Judgment of
the board upon all important questions:
that the board should act As a unit rather
than segregated info fis-a committees
of one each We are of the opinion also
that il would be necessary TO pay high
a salary TO each member OF q board of
five as II would 10 each member of
board of three in order to obtain the right
kind of men. and the recommendation OF
Your committee is that the number of
commissioners be limited to three; that
they be not required TO act as heads of
departments. but that the board of three
be expected to give their united cOnSid-
GRAFTON to the administration of all de-
p6rtments.
Elected at Large.
Shall the Commissioners Be Elected
From Wards or at Large 2-lt is the unan-
imous recommendation of your committee
that the commissioners should be elected
az large from the whole city. thus doing
away with the pernicious ward system.
Length of Term.-GOur committee rec
ommehds that the first three commission
ers be elected, two for two years and one
Tor four years. and that biennially there
after two commissioners one for two
years and one for term of four years
What Other Officers Shall Be Elected I
Your committee recommends that an au-
ditOr be elected by the voters Of the CITY Z
Al large. whose duty ii shall be to audit I
All OF the city's accounts and perform all I
other duties which usually devOlve upon
such an officer, and that the other off
GERS OF the city be appointed by the boar.i I
salary OF Commissioner Your com
nittee recommends that the salary of the |
ENnn11SEI 81 "a
Primary ElectiOn.-YOur committee re,.-
ommends that the commissioners and au-
Gitor be nominated at a primary election /
neid IN accordance with the provisions II 4
the Dies AioineS bill. These provisions are
substantially as follows
"A primary election is held for nonina-
lions OF commissioners on the second Mon !
odF preceding The general municipal cleo /
ton Any person desiring to EecOme F.
candidate for an elective CITY office is re-
quired. at least ten days prior 10 the sail I
Urinary election, to file with the. proper .
oLlcer statement Of his candidacy, ]
winch shall be accompanied by a petition 4
ol az least twenty-five qualified voters, I
verifying the qualifications Of the person 4
proposed 10 be nominated. these names I
are published for three days. ten DAYS be |
ore the primary election, and at such /
primary election the names OF the can /
dldateS Tor nomination are printed in al 4
phabetical order. but have no party name 4
or distinction. and the voters would be /
Instructed TO vote for one candidate for |
auditor and three candidates for commits /
Sioners. The polls are kept open all day I
as az general election with judges and !
e. -erlSS Of election in the usual way. and 1
qualified voters ave permitted 10 express 4
their choice of candidates The six names I
having the highest number Of votes for !
cornmissioners would be the candidates for I
I ne regular election and the two names 4
having the highest number of votes for I.
auditor would be the candidates Tor audi !
Tor al the regular election when there /
" olld likewise ne no party distinction. but 4
the names OF these candidates would be 4
printed and furnished TO the voters. or. I
N the case OF salt Lake City. placed upan /
me voting machines. and the voters would /
NJ instructed to vote for one candidate
Tor auditor and three candidates for con-
Right of Recall.
Right OF Recall.-The Des Moines sys- ]
ten provides fsr the light Of recall of I
any elected CITY officer hN the people. am !