The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-05-13
Trains Going East.
TrainR Goinu West.
THE COMMISSION PLAN.


The News Tuesday morning mao
kind of a double header editorial on
the commission system of government
The first half of the article pictured
the law very much as it actually eX-
lists, as follows:
"As compared with the Galveston
or Des Moines plan OF government Dy
commission. the government or cltleS
in North Dakota by that system can
not be the same. The law governing
the commission form in North Dakota
is colorless almost. For instance, the
Des Moines plan has the iniative and
referendum feature, whereby num-
Der of citizens can compel vote upon
a proposed ordinance or can compei
vote to repeal an Objectionable one' II
provides for a civil service commission
which examines candidates for ap-
pointive Offices in the citys employ
and certifies for appointment the Two
candidates for each position standing
highest In the results OF the examlna-
ton: IL forbids the granting or VaIu-
able franchises, including the use OF
streets, bridges or public places, 10
anv corporation without first securing
permission, by an election, from the
people: it provides for the recall,
whereby any commissioner may be
turned out Of Office, in case his actions
do not suit the majority Of the voters
and this Is also done by popular
election. The salary of the mayor is
$4,000 and each councilman $1,000,
uainimum-based on population.
"The Galveston plan does not pro-
vide for the civil service commission
or the recall features and the mayors
salary Ia limited to $4,000 per year,
and the councilmen get $1,000 each
The Houston plan is similar to Gal
veston's except that 1t increases the
salaries and requires the mayor and
councilmen to devote their entire time
to the city.
"The North Dakota law does not
embody any Of the special features
such as the Des Moines law permits.
There can be no recall; no civil ser
vice commission; no initiative and
referendum; no vote on franchises.
The law does not, as far as we can
and, AK. limit, or state what the sal
aries of the mayor or commissioners
shall be.
what then is the advantage to be
gained by the city Of Fargo in chang
ing from the present board Of alder
men and mayor to the proposed COM
mission and mayor
Then The News endeavored to ideal
ize tile measure and deal in futures
In a glowing outburst 1t told of the
- ...uA.oar axya xfaaau to ba ora;pad
from the adoption of the measure in
Fargo. The keynote being that IL
would abolish gang" rule.
one point suggested was that the
commission would be elected from the
city at large and not by wards--that
the commissioners would be respon-
sible to the entire city instead of the
people of one section.
TO offset those possible advantages
is the fact that all the commissioners
might be chosen from one ward, even
one precinct-or to carry 1t still fur
ther-there is no reason why all five
men could not be named from the
same city block. One of the weak
nesses Of the present law is the fact
that 1t is not more represents tive.
There should be some provision by
which only one commissioner could be
from one subdivision Of the city.
Ths editor OF The News agrees with
The Forum In suggesting amendments
to the present law that viii remedy
many or the Objectionable features Of
the measure. The morning paper
might so stiii further and suggest a
delay till these very necessary amend
ments are an actual reality.
The cardinal objection made In the