The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-23
THE MUNICIPAL PROBLEM.

| lutHt, WHICH has just DeeH puoiiShSu'
/ Prof Frank j Goodnow expresses the
opinion that the city is as an organ
| ism apparently incapable of DEM
ocracy. Conditions essential in city
life unfit the inhabitants. in his opin-
ion, lor governing themselves. In a
well considered article the Outlook
controverts this view 1t holds that II
democracy has failed in American
cities it is because 1t has never been
tried 1t also reiterates statement
previously made that city should,
under certain and reasonable limita-
lions, be accorded the right to frame
its own charter
1t is commonly said that politics
should be kept out of city government.
1t is admitted that in the sense in
which the word politics is ordinarily
used in America this is true. The
struggle between parties is nominally
on state and federal issues, and there
/ fore party organization, as rule, in
! the United States is state or ma
tional matter. There is virtually
no relation between municipal policies
and state or national policies. To
organize and carry on municipal
campaign in accordance with ques-
tions lnat arise in the state or fed.
eral government is declared to be
obviously irrational There are how
ever, legitimate differences of opin-
ion regarding municipal policies, con-
corning which the writer in the Out
! look says
"The ownership and operation Of
public utilities afford an instance In
| the sense, then, in which the word
! politics denotes a struggle between
| parties, it is perfectly legitimate that
/ politics should enter into municipal
/ government SO long as municipal par
| ties are divided on municipal policies.
| On the other hand, large part OF
municipal government has nothing to
do with the determination of munic-
/ ipal policies. 1t is strictly nothing
more than the administration of a
great business concern. For example,
i the decision whether the city shall
operate its own traction line is a mat
ter of municipal policy, while the
] question as to the best method OF
operating that line is matter OF adj
ministration There are, therefore,
} two aspects of municipal government
the one political concerning the de
termination of policies, the other adj
ministrative. concerning the carrying
on of business"
The belief is confidently expressed
by the Outlook that in the matter OF
, deciding upon policies the people as
{ a mass are competent; that they have
, both the right and the ability to de
t eide questions of policy. 1t follows
j from this that the people should elect
i the officials who are charged principal
i ly with the formulation and carrying
+ out of municipal policies. 1t Is also
t held that such officials should be few
in number. in order that the people
may easily hold them responsible
G There should be concentrated respon
= sibility. 1t is further suggested tina
: these few elective officials shoult
|. have sufficiently long terms to enabl'
them to establish policy and give |
;, a chance of being vindicatee or dis
4 credited. Not only should the OF
q ficials be few in number that they ma
De held accountable, but they shoul'
!, be elected at large rather than b.
q wards as provided by the commission
It plan Furthermore, all nomination
e should be direct, and some method 0
u recall, duly safeguarded, (anothe
= feature of the commission plan
:. should be within reach of the people
1t is important also that the date 0
# election of municipal officers shoul,
" be separated from that of the election
I. of state and federal officers.
IL A point too often overlooked is en-
Ephasized in the Outlooks article, tc
wit: That the officers charged wit
the expenditure of public money
At ought not to levy the taxes, becaus
is negligence in the direction of extra1
Of agance is otherwise CLOSED over b
at appropriations The levying of taxes
st it is insisted. ought to be intrusted t
i'd legislative officials, and the admins
e. trative officers should be distinc
m from the executive and legislative o.
s. ficers so far as possible Endorse
al ment is given to the policy of appoint
q. the ground that they are, or ought t
n. be, experts whom the people in tn
mass have no means of selecting wit
,s success. They should be appointe
,s for long terms, but they should be he'll
40 accountable and be removable by tn
q. appointive power after a herring upo
=. charges, and for reasons which mus
n, be stated. In discussing the commits
-. sion plan specifically the writer says
- The commission form Of govern
- ment has made great Roadway becaus
sc it is admirably suited to the admin
is tration of city business. 1t combine
az the principle of election at large wit
Sc the principle of concentration of r
is sponsibility in administration
however, seems to be weak on til
;. sue of determining municipal policie
ar This weakness has not been conspic
Eli Gus simply because the Discriminate
g of municipal policy has never bee
w adequately intrusted to any America