The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-07
HOME RULE.

One OF the urgent needs of the time
is a larger measure Of homo rule Tor
Iowa cities. AS the law stands, NUM-
eipalities have only such powers az
may be specifically granted them by
the legislature. This is the rule every
where, but it is wrong both In theory
and practice Cities, as We'll as states,
should have inherent powers and not
be dependent upon some hlgher
authority for their powers OF govern
ment. Justice and wisdom alike dc
tate that they should enjoy every
right not specifically taken away by
the legislature and should have I'M
trammeled control over those things
which concern them alone. No state
legislature, however good its 1nten-
lions, is qualified to deal intalligently
with municipal problems arising In
Keokuk and other Iowa municipalities.
It is simply impossible for hetero-
geneous collection of lawmakers at
Des Moines to foresae all our needs
or make irou-clad provision in ad-
vance for emergencies that may arise.
The result Is a waste Of legislative
time and effort and the substitution
of inefficiency for efficiency on the
part of the municipality. 1t il devout-
iy to be- hoped that the day OF leading
strings for Iowa municipalities Will
soon be a thing of the past. 1t would
be bad enough II the law only re-
stricted the extent of their powers.
But it goes further than this and pre-
SCI ibes also the manner in which the
powers granted may be exercised. TO
quote the words of modern author
ify on the subject, THE law not only
tells municipalities what they may do,
but also insists on telling them, usual
" in great detail. how they shall DO
it. The result Is an exceedingly In
lexible system which frequently pre-
vents municipalities from dealing
with their problems In the wisest
manner, and constantly tends to
throttle initiative and resourcefulness
among municipal officials" Complaint
is heard from time to time of munich
pal ineficiency, but the fact Is that
municipalities have never been given
fair chance to develop high stand
and of efficiency. On the whole they
have done very well, in view OF the
restrictions imposed upon them. The
wonder is that they have done As well
as thew have, restricted as they have
been, by an unyielding rule to the
same methods OF procedure regard.
less of size, local needs or individual
peculfarities.
The refusal of the Thirty-sixth lows
general assembly recently adjourned
to permit Iowa municipalities to re
adjust their tax lsvies so as to In
crease the general fund, without ex
ceeding the total levy prescribed BY
! law. is certain to embarrass quite
seriously Kaokuk and number Of
other cities throughout the state. This
! is the fund out OF which the police
board OF health, salries, rent and mis-
| cellaneous expenses Of the municipal
ity are paid. The repeal Of the mulc1
law reduces the income Of this FUND
almost one half, and the law prohibits
any increase in the tax levy OF ter
mills. There is therefore no way o.
making good the deficiency. 1t ha.
been suggested as way out OF the
difficulty that valuations be increased
But valuations are too high already
and any increase for city purposes
would at the same time correspond
ingly increase the taxes for state and
county purposes. There is a genera
/ belief. rapidly growing into conv1c
ton. that Keokuk already pays morf
than its just share into the state an6
I county treasures. And addition tc
! this large contribution would be both
! unjust and burdensome.
Very respectfully,
S. w. MOORHEAD,
Mayor