The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-26

the election Of five men from the
ranks of the electorate of the city, IT.
respective of the particular locality OF
the city In which they lived, the title
Mayor" being given to one Of the
members of the commlssion-which
the governing board was called-but
that the title was an empty symbol
The mayor had only coordinate pow
ers with the other members of the
commission From the Galveston
plan, he said, evolved the Des Moinee
plan Of city government. which was
but a modified form of the Galveston
plan.
In explanation of the system he ex-
planned that the board of commission
ers became the governing power of the
city and that the members were given
salaries sufficiently large to enable
them to spend all their time in the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the city
and that under their direction and
special provision all the help needed
In conducting Of the business OF the
municipality, except the city attorney.
city Judge and recorder were appoint
ed TO Office.
He graphically referred to the idea
Of initiative and referendum" which
prevails In this form Of government,
meaning that the voters of the muni-
cipality under certain conditions, cause
the board Of commissioners to enact
such laws for the city as they might
desire. first by petitioning the said
commissioners to enact such law, and
second, IL they failed to heed the petit
ton, the petitioners would DE empow-
cred to force a special election at
which the people would be given the
opportunity to vote on the question.
Another point the speaker made was
that the people were empowered with
the privilege OF recall" That is, II
a member of the commission should
be considered derelict In the perform
ance of his duty. the people might call
an election for the purpose Of remoy-
Ing him from Office and electing An
other citizen to the position.
Under the contemplated plan, Mr..
Stevens stated that the city affairs
would be conducted on much the same
business principles as board OF di-
rectors Of q business concern would
handle matters.
He said that under the Des Moines
plan each commissioner Is given a
particular department OF the city gov
ernment over which he ahall preside
and be held responsible for the out
come and welfare Of that department
and that under that order of things
city business would be transacted
with speed and accuracy. Mr.. Stevens
considered that the city controlled by
a commission such as the Des Moines
idea provides for, partisan politics
would be largely eliminated and would
mean the installation OF the primary,
Idea OF nominating mon TO office. 80
that every voter in the city would vote
untrammeled by ward heelers and un.
scrupulous politicians. He considered
the plan safeguard against the many
evils that creep Into city administra.
ton under the legislative idea OF mu-
nicipal government and that men
would be selected to fIl the responsi-
BILE positions IN the city government
solely upon their fitness for such
places. In conclusion he stated that
1t meant getting nearer the people in
the municipal government which. he
said. is necessity growing into the
minds OF the people. He made the
statement that next year twenty.six
states Of the Union would elect their
United States senators by a direct
vote of the people.
MIR. Meyer In his argument. started
out by stating that efficiency of any