The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-09

ASa. IL IL &2AilSAS III tilC DooAu III
city commissioners e the paper last
evening before the Commons club at
its regular meeting for Dec. s, which
was held at the Annex hotel Presi-
dent Emery's subject vas Problems in
City Government, which presented an
" interesting phase in the development
of the city of Fargo under the COM
mission plan. ..
AS it was the annual meeting Of the
club, officers for the ensuing year were
elected at the same time. John S.
Frame was elected president to sue
coed Professor Weeks. The official list
chosen comprises: IT,
President-John S, Frame.
Vice President-R. B. Robinson.
Secretary Treasurer-C. E. Nugent.
Members of the executive commit
During the year just closed some
very interesting papers have been read
before the Commons club. Its BIZ
weekly programmes have provided a
number of well known speakers from
out of the city in addition to the mum
Der Of local speakers who were heard.
The club has enjoyed a very profitable
year. "@s '
In presenting some of his facts con-
corning the development Of Fargo,
President Emery in his paper last
hight CdlhS0 HUGH dUOuL Tie CITY AldE-
ket plan, which met with the general
approval Of the clubs membership. In
discussing the different features Of
Problems in City Government, Mr..
Emery said in part:
With a commission form of govern
.ent, as we have here in Fargo, four
commissioners and a president are
elected, whose duty it is to make the
laws governing the city. 1t, is for these
same five men to see that the laws
which they enact are enforced.
They also determine and fix the
amount Of money required to finance
the city for. a year In advance, and
they use the money which they have
appropriated. 1t will be seen that our
city government is both legislative
and administrative.
There are three ways by which
money Is secured to meet the expens-
es of a city. First, the one with which
you are all f~amiliar-direct taxa
ton; second. licenses and permits;
third, police court fines. If we analyze
the second-licenses and permits
we will discover that the more money
a city can secure from that source, the
less a to be raised by direct taxa
ton. and it is a d~eplorable fact that
some good people are willing that the
one in charge of a city should violate
their oath of office, by winking at the
law, If by SO doing money can be Sc
cured to swell thereby treasury, which
will mean reduction in taxation.
The great problem that confronts
practically all cities is: "ShalE the
policy be for a wide open or a closed
city?" 1t. must not be overlooked, that
before any city official can accept
money from anyone who is violating
the law, by either giving a permit
through the president, or by instruct
ing the police department not to see
and to pass by such places, such off
cial must be aware that the law is
being violated and is therefore a party
to the crime. The question is, how
are o going to satisfy all classes:
for in, some cases. those who demand
sHthe most a small, or scarcely any
taxes. In Fargo, the board of commits
sioners have gone on record in favor
of a clean city. 49,
Fargo is the "hotel city, of the
state, and we are proud Of the fact
Make this the place to spend your
Sundays in" is the slogan.
But the president is informed that
it is too quiet here on Sunday-that
the city is too strict. Have something
in the way of Sunday amusements-
Sunday baseball, Sunday theatres
moving picture shows. etc.
The question of knowing just how
to satisfy people in this restless age
is a perplexing problem; however, we
muSL not LOTSeC mat FaESO becomes
responsible for the welfare Of between
1000 and 5000 young men and women
who come here each year to receive
their education. Fargo is an educa-
tionaI as we'll as a commercial center
N W. must look at all sides of the
question.
Probably a little more excitement, al
night and on Sunday would entertain
the floating and transient population
but u judgment is that a clean city
will eventually make Fargo the great
city Of homes in the state Of NORTH
Dakota.
Business, educational facilities, and
homes, are the three great factors in
building cities. Fargo possesses al
three. Are w to take advantage or lei
the opportunity pas by?
Probably no greater curse inf1icts
most cities than their bonded debt
which, as a rule, continues to grow
The debt of New York. Paris, and
down to small cities is not by reason
OF the enormous amount required, but
because proper Ievfes have not been
made to take up the bonds as they
mature.
Refund your bonds and let the flu
ture generation pay the debt" has