El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-04
THE French idea of municipal rule
more nearly q r,1,r.cx ir,,stes rzlaf

THE French idea of municipal rule
more nearly approxinates what
the average American means
when he speaks of commission govern
ment than that of any other European
country, unless it be Switzerland. The
central fact of the French system is
that the council is elected by the peo-
pie, on manhood suffrage vote and
1t selects one Of it's own number to be
mayor Cities have the choice Of elect
ing their councilmen at large or by
wards. Nine-tenths of the municipal
tiles of France elect their councils at
large. although a majority of the larg
er ones have chosen the ward plan.
This council is chosen in a way
which reminds one in a measure OF
the double nomination" idea embodied
in the Des Moines plan. There
is no official recognition of can
didates Each voter is presumed TO
nominate his own candidate and to
vote for him in the same act OF
course this does not work out in prac-
tice, since the political parties are as
active in France as elsewhere. The
election always is held on Sunday-the
first Sunday of May in every fourth
year, except that by-electioRs may be
held on any other designated Sunday
This is done on the theory that the vot-
ers have a better opportunity to get
to the polls on Sunday than any other
day
Must Poll Majority Vote.
Any candidate TO be declared elected
must have polled majority of the vote
cast In addition to this he must have
received vote at least ore-fcurth IS
great as the total enrolled vote. II he
fails in either of these particulars he
is not successful If the proper num-
Der OF Candidates are not duly chosen,
a supplementary election must be held
to fill vacancies. and in this election
success is reckoned by the plurality
rather than on the majority vote
Choice is not limited to those who
were in the race before. One whose
name was not even mentioned in the
preceding election may win out in the
supplementary one.
Favor Large Councils.
The concensus of opinion in England,
Germany. and France is for a munich
pal council with power to select the
administrative organization. after the
form Of the American commission plan
They all agree in their practice OF
making this large body instead Of
small one. the French standard being
So for important cities and that of En-
gland and Germany still higher
nonresident taxpayer may vote in
French city, and also may hold office
there. but only on condition that he
does not vote elsewhere. Many thou
sands of men who have their business
in a big American city and their resi-
dence in some susurban town are deni-
ed the right of voting in the city al
though nine-tenths Of their interests
center there The Frenchman has no
such difficulty.
With manhood suffrage Jas the vOt-
ing qualification, ard with larger
percentage of poor people, it is but
natural that radicalism should prevail
in French elections. The voter usually
has the choice between men who are
either little more radical or little
less radical But despite all this the
average French council is regarded by
many writer's as being far superior to
the average American council. even IL
1t is in turn below the standard OBJ
tairing in England and Germany
Once a council is elected it begins
business by organizing It elects one
of its own members secretary. and then
proceeds to select a mayor and one or
more assistants. all of whom are chos-
en- from within the membership of the
council These pr selerts6 ~ parti-
can votes usually no faction has
majority. and there are trades and
coalitions exactly similar to what hap
pens under like conditions in Ameri-
can cities. Where elections from the
city at large are held the whole council
is usually Of the same political faith.
and no such trading goes on. Neither
the council the mayor. nor his assist
ants receives a salary. The mayor is
given an allowance for expenses actual
" incurred by him. such OUTLAWS as are
deemed necessary for unfolding the
dignity of the municipality at fete and
public ceremonies ard when disttn-
guished visitors come to town 1t has
been estimated that the mayor has
more than 500 different kinds OF acts
to perform in the course of a year, each
to be done at definite time and in a
prescribed way Add TO this the null
titudinous details of his office. from
exercising certain legislative powers
down TO keeping count of the number
of carrier pigeons in the military
equipment of the community, and one
has a reasonable impression that he
is a busy man.
Resembles American Legislature
The French council sits like an
American legis1ature-days at a time
meeting several times a year At the
session for consideration Of the annual
budget 1T may sit for weeks. It's rec
ords are always open for public in
spection. The acouncfl may do many
things as an Independent body, al
though there are other actions which
need the confirmation of the state and
national authorities before they are eff
fective such as the purchase. sale, or
mortgaging of municipal property. the
issuance of public utility franchises
and the preparation of the annual bud
get In strictly local matters. however, |
the council is in full authority. Where /!
municipal ownership is once establish |
ed the council has control of the !
plants so owned. Students generally !
agree that the French council takes
a larger share in direct civic admin
istration than do those of either Ger
many or the United States-except in |
commission governed communities.
French Mayors.
The mayor is a rather more respon-
sible official in the French city than /
the burgomaster in Germany. and /
much more so thar the mayor in En-
gland. He appoints all the city Off
Gals, except the treasurer and a few /
other important positions which are /
filled by the state and national gov
arpp1anfS His a0roinfuoantS are mot /