Evening journal., 1912-05-04
Distribution of Power
UHder Proposed Charter


and responsibility resulting from the
compact government devised under
the commission form" of government,
without the disadvantages resulting
therefrom, as experience is already
beginning to teach. The most serious
defect of the commission form of
municipal government is the combina-
! tion Of the legislative, executive and
administrative functions in the hands
of one small body of men, usually five
IN number. and sometimes reduced to
three. That is the most unlimited
power ever placed in the hands of del
+ egated officials under democratic
form Of government, and is against all
political experience and observations
of human nature, and in my opinion,
ls sure to fail.
To give body of three or five men
The power to make the laws, to levy
and collect the taxes. and to spend
the money. is too unlimited a power
with which 10 entrust and tempt mere
men. The people, even with the initia-
tive, referendum and recall at COM
mand, could not effectually control
such body if it should once become
entrenched in power With it's power
of patronage, and alliance with fav-
ored contractors, favored public util-
ity corporations, and favored classes
in the community committed to a
wide open town" together with those
who would be attracted to the admin
istration by the mere fact that it was
"the powers that be, it might be long
before a successful attempt was made
TO dislodge such a combination from
power. We know by experience, as
well as from observation, that. the
public is long-suftering and endure
such conditions for years before II
finally rises in its strength and over
turns the political machine
Such condition could not well
arise under the proposed charter.
Under that instrument, the people will
have the simple duty of electing a
Council Of nine members. who would
possess the exclusive power to leg
islate and fix the tax rate, and the
ultimate power to remove incompet-
ent, negligent and corrupt appointed
officials. The people would elect a
sort Of umpire or head, nomInaIIy
called a Mayor, whose chief duty il is
to appoint the best administrative
officers he can find to run the va
rious administrative departments OF
the city, and act as check on vicious
/ legislation by his veto. AS he can
only appoint the various boards but
/ not remove them, he could not ef-
fectively conntrol them for ulterioI
and wrongful purposes, thus removing
his chief temptation 20 appoint weak
men, who might be willing tools TO dc
{ his bidding. With this temptation re-
{ moved, would not his natural impulse
20 do right, plus his laudabie ambi
5 tion to please the people and thui
G hope to be rewarded by further pre-
= ferment at the peoples hands, pro
! vide every incentive for him to ap
: point good men?
On the other hand, Council canno
appoint, but 1t must confirm the May
!, or's appointments, thus acting as th
i, first check on appointments of mer
: partistn or incompetent officials.
. any should slip through, or an ofiicia
should become corrupt, prove incom
petent. or merely negligent in the PEI
} fcrmance Of his duty, Council has tn
power of removal.
Again, under the proposed charter
City Council is limited in its jurisdic
; tion to its proper functions. to wit, L
/ ascertain the will of the people ALI
translate it into law, TO fix the amoun
= OF money which shall be taken fror
e the people In the form Of taxes 70
/. the purposes OF government, and in
J broad way to regulate the expendi
lures thereof, and to remove incomps
e tent, negligent or corrupt members O
1 the administrative and other board:
The actual expenditure OF the none
is performed by the Board of Admin
istratiOn. This makes Council the crit
ical watchdog OF the board. Tne laJ
ter is composed OF business men, EN-
pioying a general superintendent wn
should be the most e1ncient expel
available, and that board snould, and
! believe, would get a dollars worth o
service or goods TOR every dolla
J spent, with the same effective result
as are now accomplished by any We
organized and We'll conducted Dusines
corporation. The subordinate neao
r oi departments and employees OF Ia
city, appointed Tor knowledge and ii,
ness, Tor indeteIminate terms, an
] protected by civil service rules, woul
p nave every incentive TO become prom
/ Ciour lu fuplT IeSUpelVp uoalftou,
! win the consequent result ol a gOO
administration OF the peoples Dus
2 ness.
AS a further check on the pow e
OF the Board OF administration, In
Controller. appointed Dy the Mayor
and confined by Council, ana nc
! movable by the same body for cause
who is absolutely independent of tn
- Board of Administration or us IN
I fiuence, is specifically constituted b,
= the proposed charter as the officia
I watchdog of the treasury to preven
s illegal or improper expenditures. H
and his sureties are even made re
sponsible If he permits any wronl
doing
/ maintain, therefore, that the pro
! posed charter gives concentrated pow
er, because It results in efficiency, bu
It safeguards the peoples Interest,"
because ample and effective check
are provided to prevent the abuse O
this power checks which are NOR,
practical, prompt and effective thai
any recall by the people would be
2 The people have the simple duty o
olac4fpo honest and ipfallioopt 20,