Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-05-19

nuhlic work bv contract, but our eX-
p~erience proves c~oncluslvcly that the
city cnn paV better wages for short
or hours. ana vet have its public work
done for less money. And In addition
we find that personal attention, as
now given, secures a better class ot
work than that obtained from con-
tracing.
In our system Of purchasing sup
plies the city gets all the ~aaNahlasV OF
a ~nrivate purchaser, and by u pres
ent methods duplicate bills and over
charges are impossible. while under
The old plan It frequently occurred,
The duties of the city being divid-
ed among the several councilmcn as
lsupcrintendents of departments, en-
hlas eaeh to managc and control MS
denartmont and he is entitled To IT'S
credit or responsible for ITS iallure'
There is no sinking OF responsibility
land YOU can know where the blame
should be placed. the oid form WAS
one Of divided responsibility. The
hoard Of works or police commission
could throw the blame upon he coun-
eli or the mayor and they IN return
could pass the matter back TO these
commissions
Formerly the council would formu =
late a plan and the execution would
be left with the various commissions
Where these plans were FUZZY matur-
led (Which could hardly be expected
from men III could deNoie so smaH II
norton of their time in their forma-
tion) and they we're carried out as
lorfufnalHv MANNED, success could be
expected. out too frequently a paru-
ally matured plan would be passed Ia
IUie board of works, or one OF the com
missions. who ut once saw its defects,
land in an attempt to improve II would
So change it that the father would
mot recognize h child. Under the
present arrangement, the ul
a plan is completed by the source
from which it originates. Under inc
old plan every member of the council
was in a way held responsible for and
was supposed to familiarize himself
with ali branches of the government,
which was an absolute impossibilitN
from its magnitude, and also because
he onlv devoted . small proportion OF
his time to these duties. and of ne
cessitv could not be fully informed,
Instead of generaliaing, the present
system requires the superintendent
of departments to watch the details
of his own department. AS u balance
wheel, however, his legislative knowl-
edge of every department something
he is more able to do than under the
former system.
Powers Could BE Abused.
In national or state governments
where a familiarity with local details
is an impossibility, Il branch OF gov
eminent must of necessity be legisla-
tive and another executive, but IN mu-
nicipal affairs, where each councilman
Is in touch with local conditions II
stands to reason hat he Is more com
petent to carry out the intent of tins
Legislative branch of the city govern
ment than to delegate 1t to another
body for executing; particularly Whef
such second body is unpaid and com
posed of men who have other duties
requiring the greater portion of theli
time.
The strongest feature of our form
of selecting officers under the preseni
plan may in some respects be thu
weakest. if its advantages are no
properly used by the people. In othel
words, the powers giyen to council
men under our present charter coult
be abused il the voter does not eNer
else his fun duty, There are safet,
guards such as \ hqn-partisan sclec
ton Of officers, and q recall in cast
OF abuse of power ar neglect of duty
land If the voter fails to exercise hi
~preogatiyes, such dereliction Of dut,
might occur. However, the remedy il
entirely within control Of The people
who are charged with their share o.
municipal reliability
Very rcspeetfuliy,
4. T.. DODS0N, Councilman,