The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-02-24
ANOTHER TOWNS EXPERIENCE

!Anent the discussion Of the cnIului%-
sion form Of gcrernmcut q friend jn
Mandan sends us the following with
preference to some Of the conditions III
THAT city:
q Under the commission system as
r'well as under tho ruunr!l system
bs'tccess of city soNcrnIncnl in its final
PARALYSIS depncds almost entirely upon
aA''ic faithfilirss. Integrity and ability
%"f lilo members VIII" Compose tho
afIorrralnE body. The adoption "r tho
commission form of gu,"rnnlcmi ly
ITO nicanc means that ti,s r,ty will
have coed government. Under cuhcr
sH-te,n IL good men arc elected GOOD
/ Dr"s'lts will follow, and likonisc under,
"llnrr aNstcm unparalleled ,nen elected
Viii mlahr bad results. This may
Ge"pnd acado,iir hut it is 10 emphasize
9Th fact that it is mot the form Of
ft'h" "ity government that Is ilnpor-
je'@"' but ability upa fitness of the
os.Merning body Is The prime consid-
..ri"'ioD.
p; "Jhc present commission law is
eiilnp"rfcct md needs Il, least Que i'm
Mportant amendment before it can
work satisfactorily. This is the re-
trr'il feature. nh" present law pro-
aiN.tlcs that i'm cities oprrHlin. under
LING commissions form of city govern
6;sncut, that any of the commission
~. luay AT any time lie recalled uuon
eLibc petition ut a pcrrruta1r of tho
n "icrs. Experience uf cit-r cities III
Nal''c state teaches liza, this provision.
tn view of tho fac, that there arc rv
limitations III 1t. has caused much
if"tth]e and expense Ia the city. i"ur
substance at Mandan a new president
'wt the commission MAS elected. and
~!niinediately thereafter and before the
Hnew president had exercised any Of
0ft.le functions of his Office q recall petit
cns;ioa was filed against him. the COM
ia mlssioners tabled the petition; the
practitioners then Wen, into court on
nn..nal,dan,us proceedings, and a writ
u1"as issued. Later a new ~petitlc, WAS
retlicd and 4 uew election will soon he
nniilad OH this recall petition. Should
1ifiti" present president he defeated in
%Stllat election he sintes tina I've will i,n-
Wrdiatcly circulate a new petition for
%pe:'npt1ler recall. otl1e,' parties llreat-
de"t "a recall of the other commission
ppeevrs and il the present situation con-
tittfn'Irs in that city there is prospect
crillnt there vii! We II city election at
9Th" expense of tic voters every month
diiliuS tine coming year. The point
lis that a recall can he flied and first
"m" faction and then the other can
Vrkcrp .tl'" matter going until the prom
"siti"l is reduced to I'M ahsurdity. II
tho law was amended to provide that
"nIN one recall petition as to any one
officer could he filed within ono wear
'n"'c Would lac All least ON limita
ti"ns on tue proposition. And Until
~" law is changed ia this effect it is
- dangerous experiment e, attempt
Al" i,ee the Law.
eo1 Tho distinctive feature of tic law
.o,ia The enormous power ii puts II, the
e%Uaands Of the different commission
~ apartments OF the city. In cities where
n there have been -rsat erlerseuciee or
miealamities. such as Galveston. there
SSJ5Lis some advantage in c%entralizins this
ketpowcr. but IN the ordinary fair sized
Macity where each nnnrnhcr of the couu.
S"scil is known to Hl,nos: every voter. II
3niis undoubtedly TRUE thai the rights
goof the citizens are better protected
an ,1 ~ -; ~ 49,.
hel" tfe VIZ "'""'A'i"'' . nel" 'i'sei
ne,and accountable to his constituency
eh:as Inc is rndcs- the council system in
g. stead nf ceptralizins in him the srea,
ah;power that ia given to tho heads nj
Glttlln departments under the commis.
yHTi,siolf law. 1t is being the practice in
no'iost OF til" co'i'''sS'o" cities to al