Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-03-30

by elSnlS voters Is pItStl'tu " int
city council requesting the submission
of the franchise or contract to the
voters of the city for adoption or re-
lection the city council acts and sub
nits the same.
Must First Be Published.
These contracts or franchises be
fore they become binding contracts
in the form of ordinances have 10 be
published. and the voters Of the city
have an opportunity at all times TO
become familiar with the nature OF
he contract, and if not familiar with
the contract or franchise it is their
own fault, through neglect on their
part to look into the contract or fran
chise.
Contracts of this character do not
20 into effect and become binding
upon the parties under the general
Law until twenty days after their pas
sage and approval, and during that
twenty days any voter of the city
can circulate a referendum petition,
and in two hours time secure eighty
signers. No contract would be en-
tered into. or franchise granted, TO
any DuDllt uliEilS NotiPphS NHS tN1
ent time under either system until
the same had been submitted to the
voters and ratified by them.
Aldermanic Form the Safer.
Il is Just as easy for these public
service corporations to obtain favor
able franchises from the commission
as it is from the city council, and 1t
seems to me that 1t is much easier
for the reason that q public service
corporation can handle a small body
much more readily THAI q large body,
and the public service corporation
could handle a commission OF i've
much more readily than it could nan
die O city council made up OF eight
aldermen and the mayor OF the city,
making nine in all.
| noticed in last weeks Herald,
which the commission form
of government, d short scare article
advising the voters of this city to
stand by the commission, for the rea-
o that if they let the commission
90 and vote 10 incorporate under the
general law, the voters of the city
would have no voice in the granting
of franchises or in making contracts
with the public service corporations,
such as the waterworks Company, the
Telephone company, the electric
light ompan and the gas company.
Such articles are not only mislead-
ing but absolutely untrue. AS l have
already stated, the voters have the
same rights under the city counc
form of government as they nave I'M
der the commission form, the only
di5trenee being in the manner OF
submitting the contract or franchise
to the voters for their action.
Powers Same in Either Case.
There is one other matter in ON
nection with the change of form OF
government that the voters OF this
city should not overlook, and that is
this. that the powers granted to and
exercised by either the city council
under the general law or the commits
sion under the commission form are
the same. The powers conferred by
law under the commission form of
government are the same as those
Granted 70 cities q EppooFsatts uhueT
the general law,
Inc I6SlSldluI5 Ill 6ldlitiHS w Sie
les formed under the commission plan
the powers which they exercise took
them bodily from the general law, SO
that the powers granted TO and exer-
cised by a city operating under either
plan are the same. and our voters
should not overlook the fact that II
they vote on April 7th TO incorporate
under the general law, with a mayor
81 l.ll ~ M hin q ninn in
iii, the city council will have and
will exercise tho same powers as ne
city commission are exercising.
Voters Rights vouchsafed.
There Is nothing in the argument
used by the friends of the commission
regarding the question OF franchises,
and the granting thereof, that need In
any way frighten the voters, al
TIE voter has the same right under
rthe city council form of government
az he now has under the commission
form, andsean protect himself ful.y
as we'll.
Under the city council form of gov
eminent the voter can prevent ex-
travagapce and the u~nwarranted q
penditure OF the taxpayers money,
such Ms the commission has INDUCED
ii Tor the pas four years. for tho.
reason that the aldermanic system.
made Of select men, represents the
sentiment Of the whole city. and with
eight honest aldermen and an honest
mayor the people OF this city can
have an honest, economical. law-en-
forcing administration OF public at
fairs.
The commission form has proved to
~ failure, and believe the city
shonld incorporate under the general
a law, andaBnce more practice economy,
Respectfully,
w. 81. Glass.