Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-20
by COMMISSION RULE
Form of Government in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa.
ADVANCED IDEAS ADOPTED
Comparison Made With System in
National Capital.
CITY COMMISSIONER HERE
Study of the Conditions in Municipal
Affairs and New Ideas
Sought.

EHtHuSldSliC III PRAISES VI TIE toHi-
mission form Of governing cities. Charles
Daniel Huston, city commissioner Of
Cedar Rapids. Ia, is a visitor to the
National Capital. seeking new ideas In
municipal matters. He is one Of the five
members of the board OF commissioners
which directs the affairs of municipality
of Cedar Rapids and is in direct charge of
the department Of streets and public i'm
provements. He was at one time mayor
OF the city, under the old form of gov
eminent.
In the commission form of municipal
government, as developed In the Iowa
city, many advanced ideas have been
adopted-the initiative. the referendum
the recall. direct primaries and appoint
ment of all city employees by civil service
rules.
The state law provides in general for
a commission form of government in Iowa
in cities where a majority of the voters
want such government. To secure vote
25 per cent Of all the voters in a city must
sign a petition to the mayor asking that
the question of adopting the commission
form of government be submitted at a
special election.
Officers of the City.
The officers elected by the voters of the
city are a mayor and four councflmen,
who hold Office for two years. The five
compose the city council. or commission.
and 1t has the general legislative and
executive powers over municipal matters.
Nominations for these five officials are
made by direct primaries, without re-
gard to party affiliations, and this pri-
mary election is held on the second Mon
day preceding the election. Every per-
son who desires to be candidate for
nomination at the primaries must, ten
days before the primary, file with the
city clerk a declaration that he is a
candidate for nomination. signed by TWEEN
ty-five qualified voters. After the full
list of candidates is made up the city
clerk must have published for three sue
cessive days in the daily newspapers of
the city the list.
The two candidates for mayor and the
eight candidates for councilmen secur-
primary election are the only eligibles
for those offices to be voted upon at the
municipal election. On the ballots used
for the election there are no references
to the party affiliations of the nominees.
A public canvass of all the votes cast In
an election must be made by the city
clerk the day following. and the results
must be published at least once in the
daily newspapers. The officials elected
qualify for their Offices the first Monday
any person or candidate accepting from
or giving money to any candidate for Of
fee to secure election or appointment and
the acceptance or giving Of any bribe to
influence voters. and provides severe PEN
alties for violations of the election law.
B. Majority Vote.
The five members Of the council, or
commission, have right to vote on
every question brought before it. and the
affirmative vote of at least three is neces-
sary to pass any resolution or ordinance.
On every vote, the law requires, the yeas
and nays are called and recorded. The
mayor has no power to veto any measure
passed by the council.
The executive and administrative pow
ers, authority and duties are divided
among five departments. These are the
department OF public affairs. department
of accounts and finance, department of
public safety; department Of streets and
public improvements and department of
parks and public property. The mayor
presides over the department of public
affairs and one councilman presides over
each of the other departments, the desig-
nation to be made by the council at its
first meeting after the election
The council also elects q city clerk,
solicitor. assessor. treasurer, auditor civil
engineer. city physician. marshal, CHIEF
OF fire department.. market master, com
tees and other officers as the council be-
lieves are necessary. The council must
meet at regular times and all meetings.
except those of council alone or with
any city official. are open to the public
Every ordinance, franchise and con-
tract. it is provided. must be open to pub
lie inspection seven days before its final
passage. and all franchises to public serv-