Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-01-19
DISCUSSING COMMISSION FORM
OF GOVERNMENT.

The following communication is
or a timely subject in which very
large share Of the people of Grants
Pass are interested. II sheds light
on the commission form OF govern
ment which must be taken up and
discussed by the many In time to be
thoroughly understood before the
next regular city election takes place.
This communication covers the sub
ject not only In q practical but
thoughtful way:
Editor OF Courier:
Here are some thoughts which de-
sire to express through the columns
OF your paper. The commission
form OF government for this city
would centralize the control into a
few hands and would eliminate party
lines; putting all officers on salar-
led basis. That might not be for the
better In some ways, but upon the
whole we have the recall and the
people behind 1t should any emer-
gency demand. BY and through this
recall, the ambitious official would
be curbed. Official duties should al
ways be under the close scrutiny and
final control OF the community to
whom they have to answer. To make
this form OF government more ac-
ceptable than any other, we must
rely entirely ON the charter back of
1t. The initiative, referendum and
recall should be the main factor and
the state laws should be so amend
ed to give each municipality its own
governing power to levy and apply
its own taxes for municipal purchase
and municipal construction. Many
cities are today handicapped by state
legislation that prohibits local ad-
yancement in the form of city i'm
proyement.
Our present mayor and new coun-
Gil will probably make an appreci-
able change In our city government.
II is we'll; the times demand 1t. All
over the world the leaven is lift
Ing, all eyes are on our officials high
and low and. with the recall in the
hands of the electors, much can be
expected. Many cities have an Of
ticer empowered by the council to
closely watch for the health of the
city, arrange for the unemployed so
that they can work, look after all
weights and measures, see that peo-
pie can purchase and sell to advant-
age, in other words, institute mar
ket places, and handy convenlences
for trading and visiting people. The
municipality should by all means,
Immediately or as soon as possible
lrol the necessary home indus
tries that the community uses and
the surplus earnings would give the
city some funds to construct others
and not be eyerlastingly raising
taxes.
The opportunities are varied and
unlimited laundries, bakeries,
slaughter houses and other under
takings could soon be put on a pro-
titable basis and would lessen the
hand drudgery and be kept in a san
itary condition, employing more peo-
pie and giving every one an interest
q be shared alike These are no
utopian dreams, They might have
been a few years ago. but now the
people are demanding them. Polhl-
cal action must conform to the will
ol the people Our writer's have been
drumming into our ears that West.
ward the course Of Empire takes ITS
way" Sometimes 10 looks as lt is
westward thc course Of destruction
takes it way when we look around
and see an The natural resources be-
Ing uscd mp and slipping from the
hands of the people we are almost
convinced that ,he latter statement
EXPOSES 'he true coplu.on