Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-25
LRAGUE HEARS OF
COMMISSION PLAN
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|
ure. They contended that govern
ment strongly centralized with the su-
| prcme power vested in one man, that
| is to say. an unlimited monarchy,
would best serve the people, this plan
| Is similar In this respect, II robs the
| people of a truly representative FORM
| by electing men not by right OF llne-
| age as they did but because of their
| higher standing In the business world,
and clothing them with unchecked
power Experience has taught that
the best administered government is
that In which there are three co-ordl-
nate branches, separate and independ-
ents the executive. legislative and Ju-
dicial. Combine these departments
and the possibilities for wrong doing
and incompetency cannot be estimated.
But it Is contended that this plan has
been tried in tho city whose name 1t
bears with remarkable success. Ny
reply 10 this would be that some of the
best governed people have been ruled
by one man who practically held ao-
solute and untrammeled power In con-
turtles gone by, and yet / do not be-
lieve many of us would advocate re-
verting To those days when the sub
Jects had no voice in the AFFAIRS OF
government.
WOULD MEAN RErROGRESSION
Such a policy would mean retrogres-
sion rather than advancement. 50
long as men are human, susceptible to
human infirmities and failings, so long
VIII they be subject to error and temp
tation. The tendency, therefore, In
seeking remedy for the Ills that af-
To- h.. hT.I 10
Capitalization of power into fewer
hands, but a wider dissemination of
power among the people who are the
units of the municipality.
II the people could be taught to take
more active interest In their city at
fairs and conscientlously exercise the
right of suffrage. instead OF permitting
politicians to dictate nominations and
elections, the first great problem would
be solved. The primary method Of
nominations / consider means to the
accomplishment of this end, and, in
fact. any plan that would tend to
bring the public servants and the ad
miniStration generally closer to the
people are to my mind far better eX-
pedients for the Improvement of mu
nicipal administration than the COM
mission plan
Any depart"~4 from a system well
established, by custom and usage,
should be carefully weighed before It's
adoption. The scheme suggested can
not be said to possess the merit of
novelty, but Is essentially a reverslon
to the theory that representative gov
ernment Is failure, and to this con-
tention l cannot accede, 1t would be
the maddest folly TO defend the mod
ern municipal rule as administered,
and 1 have not done so. nor do intend
to. But I do maintain that all the
reasons adverted to as n basis for a
change are applicable to the commission
with even greater force, than to the
existing one. Let us therefore calmly.
dispassionately, and sincerely seek TO
ascertain the defects and with a patri-
ctic spirit prompted by common pun
pose, adjust them, rather than indulge
IN missionary hopes from a system en-
tlrely foreign in practise to those well
defined principles that constitute the
corner stono of our government
AT the conclusion OF his speech. Nav
or Bransford made a few remarks con-
corning municipal affairs IN Salt Lake
CITY He referred TO a recommenda-
ton that the office of purchasing agent
be established .n Salt Lake. Thereunon
one OF the councilmen made the re-
mark that If such office was created
he would give $4,000 for the privilege
of holding that position. which brought
forth from the mayor that he thought
that some mems ideas of filling public
office and their IDEAS of a public Of
ilciaIs duties to the public were quite
but he wished to look upon
all men as honest until he proved
them otherwise.
AT 11.15 the league adjourned tn
attend chapel exercises at the collgc.
where tho meeting was turned over to
them. Short addresses were made by
Mayor Clark OF Pennington and
Mayor Bransford of Salt Lake, Doc
tor T, Is. Beatty of Salt Lake lectured
on pupl1c sanitation. He urged upon
the mayors OF the various cities the
necessity of strict enforcement of tho
laws now on the books. the
enactment of better laws and the bot
ter compensation of the health Of
flcers.
At the conclusion OF the address the
league adjourned to the Agricultural
college. where lunch was served to all
members of the domestic arts depart
ment of the college.
ELECTION TO-DAY.
This afternoon the election of Of
ncers VIII take place There are three
cities in competition for the next
meeting of the league, Sandy Mt
Pleasant and American Fork Murray
was In the race until this morning
when II withdrew in favor Of Sandy.
1t has been practically agreed that
the officers to be chosen Will bo
selected from the city that secures
the next meeting of the league.
Impressed with the idea that the mu-
nicipal league was not rising to its
greatest possibilities. an Informal cnu-
Gus was held Monday night. at which
1t was planned to begin work on the
outline for next years meeting IT is
hoped this next conclave will be held
along broader lines and 1t Is believed
that the league working along the lines
now being considered Will develop into
a great educational body. that viii IN
Its work instruct the people In needed
reforms and In municipal matters gen
orally. Swing thousands OF dollars In
waste and bringing out better moral
Among those present at this caucus
and taking an active part in the dis
CuESiOnS Nauor