Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-04-27

within its income The tax levy
is slightly decreased. The city re
| ceives interest on all deposits and
takes cash discount whenever possi
bIe Monthly and annual detailed an
| comprehensive reports are promptly
issued and circulated This has re-
suited in a lessening Of the expense
for the conduct Of the city's business
in what We term the working funds
tnot trust or permanent funds) in
the sum of $3.50, 100000 during 1908
as compared with 1907, under the old
plan OF government. The second year
shows the administration within its
income on smaller tax levy than the
of previous years. It should be ex-
planned here that deficits are from
time to time incurred to meet cost
of street paving abutting property be-
longing to the United States and City
Governments, and other properties
which are exempt from taxation.
These deficits are met, as provided
by law, from the levies made the
year following.
The Des Moines Plan of Govern
ment has not entirely eliminated poll
tics, but it has improved the brand
Of politics. So long as the people
elect city officials, city government
must, to some extent be political
proposition Embryo reformers are
wont to cry out for the elimination
of politics from our city elections ana
tell us that city government is purely
a business proposition. In that, they
are mistaken. Webster defines poll
tics as the science of government,
and distinguishes between good and
bad politics. While business ethics
of city government, yet city govern
ment is more than a business propO-
sition. 1t is not a corporation organi-
zed for profit, but for the purpose of
protecting life, health and property,
caring for the education, and to some
extent, the morals of the community.
In the selection of municipal Off
cials, We have come to realize that
the first consideration is to secure
not only Good Men, but capable
men 1t is said that it is easier to be
good than to be efficient. What
municipality needs in her officials
is men who understand how to run
city's business, and who are sufti-
GENTLY political to know how to
cater to the needs of the community.
The tendency of all new municipal
charters is to lessen the number of
elective officials and center the re-
sponsibility in the hands of a few. To
demand full publicity and a careful
checking of accounts and balances.
More than one hundred municipali-
ties have adopted Commission Gov
ernment and as many others are work
ing to this end. New York, Buffalo,
Pittsbarg and other large citiCs asle
demanding simplification Of their
city governments.
Many learned students of munich
pal government oppose commission
government because it combines to a
those who have had practical expert
great extent the legislative and execu
tive branches of our government, but
ence in municipal government realize
that what a state legislature leaves
to a municipal body in the way of
legislation is so meagre that the foun-
dations for our government are not
in any way endangered by combining
these limited functions. The legis-
lative functions of the municipality
can properly be likened to the power
of board to frame bylaws in order
that its business may be done in an
orderly manner.