The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-05

manner condemned the commission
form of government law in this dect-
sion. and it is charitable to character
ize Mayor Sweets statement in this
respect as merely misleading. The
only provisions of the law in any man
ner criticised were those purported TO
provide for cumulative voting. On the
contrary the court in it's opinion,
speaking of the commission system OF
government for cities, says:
SUPREME COURT CoMMENDs IT.
at rs A FACT THAT UNDER THE
COMMISSION SYSTEM OF GOV
EMINENT, LEGISLATIVE. EXEC
UTINE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
POWERS OF GOVERNMENT ARE,
FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES, SUCH
AS DIRECTNESS AND RAPIDITY
OF OPERATION, AS WELL AS
ECONOMY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND
SYSTEM, CENTRALIZED IN ITS
COMMISSIONERS, WHO EXERCISE
THESE GOVERNMENTAL FuNc-
TONS UNDER A BUREAU SYSTEM
OF CITY GOVERNMENT"
Whether cumulative voting is or is
not an advantage, is an open question.
The purpose OF such a method OF voL-
ing is to give minority representation.
In at least one state members of the
legislature are elected by such meth
Cd, a considerable number OF cities
operating under the commission syS-
tenn elect their commissioners ny
cumulative voting. Sec. 3 of the en-
aiding act authorizing the holding OF
our constitutional convention provided
for minority representation in such
constitutional convention by providing
that in each district three delegates
should be elected, but that no ~elecLoP
should vote for more than two per-
sons for delegate to such convention,
and such convention was organized
throughout on the plan of representa-
ton to the minority party. So much
foI' Our mayors statement that cumu-
lative voting is political poison. Ii
may be for the politician? / do not
know.
Majority Rule.
Mayor Sweets next statement is:
"As a majority of the board control all
appointments, cause all removals and
dictate all ordinances and ap%propria-
tions, the scheme is worth the effort of
an election" Here | would agree with
the mayor were the statement as
made by him not intended as sarcasm,
/ believe ia the rule Of the majority
the basis of all democratic government.
Mayor Sweet admittedly does not. 1t
is true, as the mayor says, that mayors
are elected at large, some occupy iso-
lated positions but not all are pre-
eminently responsible" nor have they
proved to be the greatest safeguard
Of the people"
Our mayor states that we can vote
for an ideal system Of city govern
ment in -four years. Does not his
gentleman know that the ideal is I'M
at~tainable? Or does he, himself, in
tend to compile such a measure?
False Advertising.
In this mornings Courier News
Mayor Sweet has himself again inter
viewed, claiming that in demanding the
commission plan Of government, Fargo
Is b~laCkening it's W y That the
~agitators for the commission system
are knocking the town.
This statement is absolutely unWar-
ranted and without any foundation
whatever, and is an insult to the people
who are demanding the commission
system for Fargo, its citizens who have
the welfare and reputation of the city
at heart. He makes a lot of fulsOme
statements as to how Fargo has been
widely written up and complimented
by eastern & paper and magazines,
commendatoTy of the management of
the city's affairs. He deceiyes no one.
He is merely patting himself on the
back for the credit he claims to have
received in the papers for his sO-called
dividend" If the law passed by the
last legislature with respect to fake
advertising had then been in force,
| question whether this advertising
would not have come within it's pro-
vision.
The clippings and newspapers [
have received from all over the union
would fill a wa~ste-basket," and they
very properly should, and promptly
have with every one who understood
the real merit and feasibility of his
DIVIDEND plan" UnQuestionabIy the
advertising received was a good thing
for Fargo, but the proposed dividend
plan was largely buncO.
l would call the attention of every
voter reading Mayor Sweets interview
and his statements as to the financial
condition, tax rate and the efficient
management Of the city's affairs under
the council form, and ask such voter
to go back to the mayors speeches as
to how the affairs of the city were
conducted prior to the time he was
elected mayor last yea and the figures
he then furnished to the voter.
Does anyone believe we have made
any great material progress from the
conditions in these respects, at that
LlAAlGy Will Ou4 hldSoI anu Tile IId-
jority of the council at variance and
in practically a deadlock ON every
measure OF any Importance.
Taxpayers generally are receiving in
today's mail an article signed by Mr..
McHose and with the same is enclosed
a statement p~urporting to show the
difference which will result in ones
taxes, from the fact that the commits
~sioners would draw salaries greater in
fha- a pprrao ~a a hV 90 Ann than The IA,
now paid the mayor and council.
Misleading Statement.
All Of the statements Of such article
and of such statement are answered
above, except the claim last referred
follows: Which would be an increase
in the city taxes of pa e." This state
ment might easily mislead the voter
into the belief that the tax he pays
upon his property would be increased
in that per cent. AS under the 1912
levy the city's proportion Of the total
tax one paid Is approximately 40R5,
this threatened increase would in real
ity amount to less than 10 of the
total tax now paid by any tax payer,
and of course there would be no in
crease caused in that part of his tax
which is a special assessment. The
increased expense for salary is a mat
ter of small moment as against the
results secured in every city having
the commission form. Competent and
efficient men must be paid fair re-
Enumeration for the services rendered.
In view of the various statements
made by Mayor Sweet and of the fact
that he is the recognized leader of the
great opposition TO the commission
system OF city government for Fargo.
I would ask him to answer the fol-