Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-06-05
THE DES MONIES PLAN.
BY BYRON MILLETT,

In Texas. municipal corporations
are granted special charters, while in
Iowa. Washington and a number of
other States the Legislature is en-
powered by constitutional enactment
to pass general laws for the forma-
| ton OF such corporations The Iowa
law of 1907 applies in general terms
to cities having a population OF over
$4,000 inhabitants. Should this plan
meet With favor in that progressive
State as a superior and more efficient
system OF municipal government, 1t
| ought to receive favorable considera.
ton elsewhere.
Section > OF this law provides that
| upon petition of voters equal in
| number to twenty-five per centum of
the votes cast for all candidates for
mayor at the last preceding election,
the mayor shall call a special election,
submitting the question with regard
to the adoption of the new plan of
local city government. If the proposi-
tion is endorsed by a majority vote,
thereupon the city shall be governed
by mayor and four councilmen.
chosen by the voters at large every
two years. The act provides that
nominations shall be made according
to system of nOn-partisan primaries.
This plan is calculated to give the city
business instead of a political ad-
ministratiOn OF its affairs The Off
cials being chosen by the voters of
the municipality at large will be more
inclined to consider the welfare and
interests of the whole corporation
from an impartial standpoint than
they would If elected from particular
wards or districts in which local in
terests are likely to figure largely.
All contracts. rights and liabilities
remain in full force. as il no change
had been made. Former ordinances
are retained till modified or repealed. |
No franchise or valuable right can be
given away by the city council until
sanctioned by a vote of the people. |
On petition of twenty-five per cent |
of the voters ordinances NAV be sub. |
mitted, adopted or rejected at an elec.
ton. On the same basis the initia. |
tive. referendum and the power to re-
call may be invoked and submitted
to popular vote. Thus it is plainly
seen the people at all times retain the
balance of power.
The mayor and five councilmen are
salaried officials. The people in such
case have the right to expect a more
honest and efficient management of
their affairs than when such officials
perform their services gratuitously or
for a small compens alton, in which
event the members of the governing
body are too frequently inclined to
neglect their duties, or graft in order
to profit pecuniarily at the expense of
the taxpayers of the municipalitv
Under this law the city's affairs are
distributed into five principal depart.
ment.
l. Department of Public Affairs.
?. Department OF Accounts and Fl.
nances.
3. Department of Public Safety.
4. Department Of Streets and Pub
lie improvements.
5. Department of Parks and Public
Property.
The mayor is superintendent of the
department Of public affairs. The other
departments are assigned among the
four members by the municipal coun.
Gil. and each member is made super.
intendent of his department.
The council is empowered to create
subordinate offices and appoint per-
sons to serve therein. fix their COM
pensation and also possess the power
OF removal by majority vote of the
members. Every officer elected or an.
pointed or emplOye is prohibited from
becoming beneficially interes ted In anv
contract or transaction to which the
city is a party
Section ii OF the organic act pro-
vides for the selection by the board
of three civil service commissioners
who pass upon the merits of appli |
cants without regard to political pulls.
Section 10 requires a monthly state |
ment OF the city's financial affairs to |
be published in pamphlet form and
provides for annual examination of |
the municipal books. These state |
ments must be itemized in such man.
ner as to give the public real informa- ,
ton. not to be Intentionally or care
lessly given out with view of con-
cealing the actual state OF affairs |
under misleading or inappropriate
heads. or obscure phraseology. The |
methods are provided by which every |
taxpayer may learn from the books |
and records OF each department the |
true condition OF the citys affairs |
therein. without employment of an ex-
pert to throw light thereon or confuse
the same to the ordinary understand |
ing. The trainers OF this enactment
took as model the workings of a
successful private corporation organ.
lied on business principles. The first
step necessary was the concentration
of power, fixing responsibility for Off
cial acts. making it difficult for those
in authority to shift their ground or
conceal their acts as may be done In
an aldermanic board.
This city contains a population OF
about seventy-five thousand inhabit-
ants. From a recent pamphlet issued
by the Des Moines Commercial Club,
am able to furnish the following i'm.
portant information: