The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-10

the public, which appeared in The
Forum on Monday.
What MIR. 8Iakemore Desired.
The main things Mr.. Blakemore
Iseemingly desired was the designation
of $1,000 in a sinking fund to provide
| against the natural depreciation OF
the city filtration plant.
In Commissioner Stern's budget or
dinance he said he was allowed $5f,0Oo~
for the operation of the hltration
plant during the coming year. Ihls
Mr.. Blakemore contended was $1,000
more than he asked for, and he desir-
ed that placed in the sinking fund
mentioned where no one could toucn
1t for any other use. Mr.. Blakemore
| stated that had such a fund been
started in earlier years the filtration
plant could have been erected Wltnout
bonding the city for it's construction
to be paid off in the future as was
4ow the case. q
President Emery told Commissioner
Blakemore that If he didn't need the
Xtra $1,000 it would still be on hand
next September when next years bud
get would be made.
Mr.. Stern saw no necessity OF start
ing any sinking fund which. would &C
cumulateI and become an added bur-
den to the present taxpayers Of the
city, some of whom were without chill
dren and successors n SO would be
bearing the financial burdens Of the
coming generations, instead Of letting
the future take care of its share
Of the city's expenses.
The Blakemore amendment was lost
by a vote of 4 to l.. The Stern budget
ordinance was Their introduced for
passage as amended and carried by a
vote Of 4 to /, Commissioner Blake
more dissenting. ..-.... s
'. E 49, =
B~Iakemore's Resolutions.
The settling of the Stern budget orr
dinance in itself was amicable enough.
Commissioner Blakemore was given
respectful attention by all present as
well as Commissioner Stern and
President Emery. There were no sharp
words uttered over its passage !
The scraps Of the mornings ses-
sion came over two of Commissioner
Blakemore's resolutions. Both had
been introduced at previous meetings
of the commission, one Of which had
been unanimously adopted. .
interest in this resolution was re-
vived this morning in a message from
President Emery to the commission,
begging leave to change his vote from
yes to no on that measure.
The resolution provided that each
man should be absolute executive OF
his own department with the approval
of the commission, being made re-
sponsible for all errors. 1t was not
to make him autocrat of his depart
ment above the will Of the commits
sion, as the legislative power Of that
body was respected. !
Emery Against Plan.
President Emery in his message
stated he desired to change his vote
to nc as he felt the president Of the
commission should have some insight
into all departments of the city's gov
eminent. 4r t.t
His message drew forth m animated
discussion. Commissioner Stern stat
ed he felt he had voted for h Blake
more resolution under a mtsappre-
hension, that he was firmly IF the
| opinion that all should rule. +
Mr.. Blakemore said the resolution
was taken bodily from the Des Moines
plan, which was recognized as the best
commission system of government in
the country. Commissioner Stern
trouble with it's city commission h a
any other city wherein it had been
tried. This Mr.. Blakemore contra
dicted and said no Des Moines man
would say SC.
President Emery said his purpose,
in changing his vote was not in find
ing fault with the resolution but that
IlS ulu not. lSSl tie pISS1dSuI u LAlE"
commission was a mere fgurehead to
preside over the meetings of the COM
mission but had been elected to work
for the city's interests. H.
Mr.. Blakemore further contended
the resolutions purpose was to pro-
vide the commission with certain rules
and regulations which should govern
the actions of each department head.
w don't need any rules" said Mr..
Stern. What We need is common
sense. That is enough to guide u.s."
Commissioner Jordan was Of the
opinion that the commissioner as an
individual was not wholly supreme in
his department but should abide by
the will of the commission.
Assistant City Attorney Shure de-
clared the resolution was all right
and that it was not intended to make
each man a car in his department.
Battle Royal Concluded.
The final fight of the morning, in
which some remarks which were quite
personal were INDUCED in, was over
the second Blakemore resolution,
which was to give the filtration. plant
department power to render and coli
lect all water rents and taxes.
This was opposed by Commissioner
Jordan who did not believe any COM
missioner should handle any money.
Commissioner Blakemore pointed
out that his was the only department
from which was taken money to help
pay the salaries of both the city audi
or and the city treasurer. He also
said it should be the duty of the wat
erworks commissioners to distribute
the price of consumption of water and
to see that taxes were paid.
From then on the battle ragged be-
between the two commissioners, Mr..
Stern and Mr.. Blakemore, concluding
in ONE personalities that were I'M
pleasant. Mr.. Blakemore said what he
wanted was the censure of things
when his department went wrong and
the credit for it when it went along
all right.
He said he was. opposed to having
others take the credit for it's good
management and having the blame
Thrust on him for any mismanage-
ment. President Emery said there was
no such disposition in the commission
to do that. s.
Emery Declined Post.
President Emery submitted a second
message to the commission wherein
he declined the acceptance Of the POI
sition of general auditor Of the city at
ia saalry of $50 per month, to which
lie had been elected by the commits
sion while he was out of the city.
Several sidewalk estimates were al
against the extension of the white
way on Front street west Of Eighth
street south.
Pretty Well Done.
Boston Transcript: Nibbs-I am
writing an article roasting the Jap
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