The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-24
REPUBLICAN, TICKET.
SFos Alderman Fourth Ward,
n. T. HENDERSON.
For Alderman Sixth Ward,
JAMES r. ROBERTS.
FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY


FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Under the present aldermanic sys-
tenn of government in Keokuk respon-
sibility for what is done or left undone
In the conduct Of municipal affairs is
divided in general and somewhat
nebuluous way among mayor and
twelve aldermen. These in turn sub.
divide 1t with more or less irregular
ity and uncertainty among q score or
more of subordinate officials. Take
the matter of street improvement.
for instance. II complaint be lodged
with the city council it is shifted by
that body to the street committee
which clears Its skirts by asserting
that the city engineer was at fault.
The city engineer in turn blames the
street foreman, who insists that he
simply obeyed orders given him,
perhaps, by member Of the street
committee. Under an arrangement
permitting this sort Of thing no one
can be held responsible for faults
either OF commission or omission.
Practically every subordinate chooses
whom he will obey, If he chooses to
obey anybody.
Such avoidance Of responsibility is
not possible under the commission
plan OF city government. The entire
3 responsibility for administration of
the city's affairs is concentrated in .
city Of the size of Keokuk in three
nlena mayor and two councilmen.
These are individually and directly
answerable to every voter m the city
for everything they do and everything
they leave undone. Each of these
three men has certain particular and
specific duties to perform and he Is
responsible not only for what he
does himself, but also for all the acts
of the appointive officers in his depart
ment Thus the responsibility is clear
ly and absolutely fixed, and there is no
loophole for anyone to escape. If for
any reason the mayor or one OF the
councilmen refuses or fails to perform
his duty or to control the work In his
department he can be promptly re
moved from office under the recall
provision of the commission plan.
Keokuk has had experience in its
police department with officials elect
ed by opposing parties working al
cross purposes. 1t has been possible
in the past for subordinate officials te
work in opposition to the policy Of
the administration of which they were
a part There will be none of thai
sort of thing under the plan Of city
government it is proposed to adopt
Subordinate officials will be directl,
responsible to the head of the depart
ment In which they serve. subject t.
removal at any time for just cause
The entire responsibility is thus pu
upon the shoulders of the three mel
elected under the commission plan t.
conduct the affairs and transact tn
business Of the municipality. Thes
three men will have free rein to carr
out their policies SO long as they d
not conflict with the laws of the stat
or the interests of the people. BIT
with all the power that is vested i
them they do not possess as much a
does the present city council of Ket
kuk in matters of vital interest an
Importance to the people. They wi
have no greater taxing power than tn
present aldermen; they cannot vol
any franchise to any corporation {
Individual; they must give week
notice before the passage of any ord
nance or resolution appropriatir
money or ordering any street improv
ment or sewer or making any contrac
and they must publish complies
statement of receipts and expend
lures and summary of all their pr
ceedings at the end of every mont
All franchises to public service corpo
atoms must be submitted to vote
the people for approval. The Peep
are at all times in absolute contrt
and acts inimical to their interes
can be prevented
There were sixty train loads
freight in the Cairo harbor on Tue
day of this week in the tow of the b
steamer Sprague. The Bulletin Of tn
city says that people who saw it cou
not help feeling that if the U. S. &C
eminent had done half as much