The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15


charter should be a statement of ele
mentary principals and facts, an outline
of broad policies. 1t should contain
a somewhat general statement of the
council. 1t should be brief and fiexi-
i bic. not easily amended and above
| all it should be so simple and clearly
worded that any who should have &C.
Icasion to read might understand.
1t is not difficult to see the reason
lof city powers. The state has always
been the political unit in this country.
| 1t has delegated some powers to the ma
| ton but fearing disintegration it has
lgiven only sparingly to the cities and
towns. AS result cities have been
managed from outside legislatures have
been corrupted and people have exhibit
ted little municipal patriotism. In con-
ltinental Europe the city has developed
along different lines. There the city
has been the political unit and has exer-
cised general powers. AS a result
European cities are pointed to as mo
dels of efficiency while American city
government is considered conspicuous
failure. 1t is true that the dual ma
ture of the city must not be lost sight
Iof. 1t has come to be a unit itself
and yet as creature of the state it is
an important agent for transacting state
business. The state could i'll afford to
relinquiSh all control over cities. Such
a course would prove disastrous to
both city and state But this is in
no way necessary. The state can re-
tain such control and such power to as
sumo control as may be necessary and
yet grant more general powers to the
city along the line of purely local in
tercsts. 1t would both increase local
deficiency and decrease the mass of spe-
cial legislation which every year bur
dens of the state legislature
Even now greater degree of home
rule is developing in the United States.
Several states, notably Missouri. Wash
ington, Colorado and Minnesota have
adopted the practice Of allowing cities
the laws of the state About half of the
states have adopted constitutional
amendments prohibiting special munich
pal legislation. Texas recently granted
to Houston a charter containing this
section. 1.-The city of Houston shall have
power to enact and to enforce all or
dinances necessary TO protect health life
and property, and to prevent and sum-
serve and enforce the good government
order and security of the city and it's
inhabitants to protect the life, health
and property of the inhabitants of said
city, and to enact and enforce any and
all ordinances upon any subject; pro-
vided that no ordinance shall be
inconsistent with the laws of the state
of Texas, or inconsistent with the pro-
seems sufficient and complete and far
superior to a lengthy enumeration of
detailed powers. What the laws OF
this state are in regard to the matter
/ do not know but it seems probable
that under the home rule act adopted
in 1898 it would be unnecessary to in
corporate so much detail into the city
charter. Much that is now there could
be death with in ordinances or in a
general municipal code.
1t has been charged that govern
ment of general powers would increase
litigation but it does not seem that
such would be the case for a general
power conferred upon the council would
than any detailed enumeration possibly
could.
My sole point here is the need of a
charter which is brief and concise and
permanent, fieXibly and clearly under
stood. one which grants sufficient pow
er to the city to make itself respec-
ting. and efficient yet all the time re-
tanning a subordinate position to the
state. To do this the city must be
given more general power and much
of the detail in >Se present charter must
be left TO city ordinance or to a general
municipal code.
What then, is the remedy? Shall it
be a revision of the old charter or an
entirely new document? If the aim is
to remove only those evils which are
not fundamental this may be done by
careful study retaining the form of the
old charter. If the problem is to be
attacked in its entirety the new docu-
ment must be drawn along entirely diff
ferent lines: Certainly the time seems
ripe for attempting a remedy for any
and all evils which NAV exist.
Among the numerous solutions lately
offered for civic problems none has met
with more general appreciation or been
attended by greater success than
the commission form of government now
in vogue in Galveston, Houston. Cedar
Rapids, Des Moines and other cities
of the middle west. The features which
md hn inh -
accomplished are sufficient to recon-
mend it to the consideration of Man
kato. The plan has attained its great
est perfection in Des MOines and for
this reason ! shall briefly discuss some
of the more important features there in
use.
Des Moines has forsaken the ward
system entirely and at the beginning
of its charter provides that "a may
or and four, councilmen shall be nomi
mated and elected at large" A non-par-
tisan nomination places two names for
mayor and eight names for councilmen
of party utilization and with the names
in alpha betical order. With the ward
system gone the city becomes a political
unit. The commission represents not
any one section or institution but the
entire city. With non partisan nomi
nation and election the city is freed
from the foolish and dangerous custom
of injecting state and national politics
This board of five men elected at large
becomes the governing board of the city
Upon every question each one has a
vote. The mayor is presiding officer
but has no power of Veto In this body
is combined all of the legislative, exec
utiVe. and judicial powers now exercised
by the numerous elective city officers.
To systematic the work it is pro-
Vided that the administrative work shall
be distributed among five departments
to be known as the department of public
Affairs of Accounts and Finances of
Public Safety, of Streets and Public
improvements and of Parks and Public
Property. Each member of the council
is made superintendent of one of
these departments and in the admins
tration Of that department he is SUI
preme. Other officers such as treasurer
civil engineer. chief of police, etc. are
elected by the whole council. Regular
meetings must be held at least once
a month Sufficient salaries are pro-
vided to secure competent commits
sioners.~ The salaries of other officers
are determined by the council What
are the results. In the first place
bility. Every commissioner is RESPONSE
BILE absolutely for his department and
all that transpires therein. Incom-
potency can be easily detected and the
cause speedily determined. There is no
need to consult ward politicians in Sc
curing city help.
Increased responsibility means increas-
piled to city affairs. Details are cared
for by men who are responsible The
leakage accompanying a loose organZa-
ton is stopped. Galveston saved a third
in gross running expenses. She be-
came thrifty and collected her taxes