Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-05-14

MSluDcih VI lutl ocCOuu blNNcN CITY
Council We're not elected by the peo-
pie but by eight Electors, one chosen
from each ward at the same time the
Members Of the First Branch We're
elected. These eight electors We're
directed to meet IN the Court House
or some other convenient place ana
choose o Mayor, who was required
to be twenty-five years old and q
resident Of the city for four years.
who should hold Office for two years
Members Of the Second Branch were
also required to be twenty-five years
Of age and resident In the city four
years and assessed for $4,000 each
The Mayor and City Council were
given the power to provide for
streets and highways. deepening and
protecting the harbor within the
city limits and four miles beyond,
and pretty generally the same pow-
ers they now have The limits OF
the new city were very small, con-
sisting of only l6S acres or about a
quarter Of a square mile.
BY Act Of 1876. Chapter 200, the
limits Of the city We're extended 10
what Is now North avenue on the
north, the present city limits ON the
east, and TO q line about where Pay
son street now is on the west, in-
cluding altogether about 10 square
miles. The boundaries We're not
again enlarged until the Act OF 1883,
which added eighteen square miles
on the north and west and fixed the
boundaries as they still remain No
material change In the form of COW
ernment Of the city took place until
1898, when the New Charter was
adopted by the Legislature by Act
OF 1898, Chapter 1873 This New
Charter was framed by notable
Commission, appointed by the Mayor
pursuant to ordinance Of November
"a, 1897, and consisting OF: VIII
liam Pinkney Whyte. Chairman,
Ferdinand @. Latrobe, Daniel G.
Gilman, Samuel ID. schmucker,
George r. Gather, Jr, Thomas Ira-
land Elliott, Thomas G. Hayes, Lewis
Putzel, New Charter Commission,
Frederick 4. Dorton, Secretary. Con-
siderable sentiment developed few
years ago for another New Charter
but that sentiment has practically
passed away ais the Impression has
become general that the present city
Charter is perhaps the best form of
city government in existence. The
principal changes effected BY the
New Charter were;
First Centering responsibility in
the Mayor. increasing his
term Of Office from two years
to four years, and enlarging
his powers to correspond
with his responsibility
Second: The Institution ~ the
Board Of Estimates, COM
posed Of the Mayor, the Pre-
sident Of the Second Branch
City Council and The Comp
troller, all elected BY the peo-
pie, and the City Solicitor
and City Engineer, appointed
by the Mayor subject to con-
frmation by the Second
Branch, with power to con-
troll the total expenditures
OF the various departments,
TO fix the tax rate and TO
pass Judgment upon any ordi-
nance introduced involving
an expenditure Of more than
100000.
Third The institution Of the Board
OF Awards. composed of the
Second Branch City Council.
the Comptroller. City Solici-
tor and CITY Register, Who
should have control or the
awarding OF all contracts OF
over $500, coupled with the
requirement that the con-
tracts over $500 should be
awarded to the lowest re-
sponslble bidder after COM
petitlve bidding.
The institution Of these two
Boards secures to the city all the adj
vantages of q commission form of
government upon what might be
called the business side OF the city;
the total expenditures, and there
fore. the tax rate,---are safeRuarded
by the veto power given to the Board
OF Estimates; and waste Is prevented
as to each contract by the require
ment that the contract be awarded
by the Board OF Awards TO the low
est responsible bidder The retcn-
tion of the City Council Keeps The
city government closer to the people
and more responsive to the wishes
Of the people. The trainers Of the
Charter wisely pursued the middle
course between a purely political
form Of government Consisting 81
Mayor and City Council) which is
apt 10 be wasteful OF the public
money and frequently to breed corr
ruption and favoritism, and a purely
commission form OF government.
which Is apt to grow autocratic and
TO be too little responsive to the wan
Of the people. The Baltimore City
Charter combines the advantages Of
the commission form and tho politi-
cal form and avoids the dsadvant-
ages OF both
Another change which was an
Improvement made by the New
Charter Of 1898 was the reduction
IN the number Of Members Of the
Second Branch City Council and the
provision that the President of the
Second Branch should be sort 0f
Vice-Mayor and be elected BY the