Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-02-04
any corporation found guilty of viOl-
mr. snsrnor nnnr nnas
cry PLAN

INV WV ~ aAAI
souri, That is the bill, soon to be in
troduced into the General Assembly,
which provides that cities of the third
class may choose for themselves the
city manager plan of municipal gov
eminent.
This bill, in its original form, was
drawn up by members of the faculty
of the department of political ! enee
of the University. 1t was sligb re-
vised, though not in its essentials,
by the League of Missouri Municipal
tiles, which organization is backing
the bill in its introduction into the
Legislature.
In the light of the recent agitation
for commission government in Mis-
souri, this proposed law, which its
trainers and hackers say it is almost
sure to be passed, is of especial ill.,
terest. This bill viii clear away tho
difficulty about the constitutionality
of the commission government law,
at least it will provide a new form Of
city government that is constitu-
tional,
Besides, according to specialists in
municipal government, the city man.
ager plan is an improvement wei the
commission government plan. "The
city manager plan is commission gov
eminent carried to its logical con-
clusion," says DR.. Isidor Loeb, pro-
fessor Of political science and pub
lie law in the University. Some of the
amateurishness Of the old forms of
city government still is found in gov
eminent by a commission. The cen
~tralization Of power and responsible
ity that commission aims at it is car
ried only halfway. But the city
manager plan means government by
a trained expert, professional admin
istrator, a man who is fitted by his
training to run the affairs Of a city
just as a lawyer is fitted by his train
ing to practice at the bar.
What the Bill Provides.
In the proposed law of Missouri,
the city manager is to be chosen by
a commission of five members, who
in turn are chosen by popular vote.
Thus, even in this highly centralized
form of municipal government, the
electorate holds the ultimate power.
This power Of the electorate is fur
ther enhanced by provisions for the
initiative, the referendum and the re-
call.
The bill provides for direct prima-
ries for the nomination of the COM
missioners. The commissioners, by
the way, are the only city officials
that are elected. They are chosen at
large and for terms of four years.
They are to receive no pay, but they
fix the salaries of the city manager
and the other officers. They are sup
posed to be chosen without regard to
party affiliations and there are pro-
visions in the bill designed to keep
the commissioners and all other Off
GERS out of party politics altogether.
The electorate may, at any time after
a commissioner has served nine
months Of his term, remove him by a
majority vote.
In the commission are vested the
legislative powers for the city gov
eminent. However, the city manager
is to be consulted on all ordinances
and the voters may demand that any
bill not an emergency measure may
be referred to the electorate. The
voters may also initiate legislation.
Manager Is Responsible.
The city manager is responsible for
the conduct and efficiency Of the city's
administration. All appointments
must be made with his consent, sub
iect to the previous weeding-out pro-
cess of a civil service commission.
The manager does not have to be a
resident of the city he is chosen to
manage. He is a hired expert and is
chosen much as a business manager
of any business enterprise is chosen,
for his ability alone. de holds office
for an indefinite term, and may be
removed by the commission for good
cause.
In the bill are provisions designed
to make elections and primary cleo
tions pure and non-partisan. All par
ty designations are to be left off the
ballots and the provisions against cor
rupt practices go even further than
the laws already on the statute books.
The bill provides that any city Of
the third class may, upon petition of
rs per cent of the voters hold an cleo
ton to determine whether it will adopt
the city manager plan. Similarly,
any of this class, after giving the
new form a six years trial, may hold
al election to go back to the old form.
Plan In Other Cities.
Staunton, Va, may claim to be the
birthplace of the city manager form
of municipal government. In 1908
Staunton adopted a charter that pro-
yided for a scheme of government
about halfway between commission
government and the city manager
plan. The plan has developed rapid
ly within the last six years and the