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

council were not elected by the poO-
pie but by eight Electors, one chosen
from each ward at the same time the
Members Of the First Branch were
elected These eight electors were
directed to meet in the Court House
or some other convenient place and
choose a 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 We're
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 harb0r 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-
sistlng Of only 168 acres or about q
quarter of square mile.
BY Act of 1916, Chapter 200, the
limits OF the city were extended to
what is now North avenue on the
north, the present city limits on the
east, and to a line about where Pay
son street now is on the west, in-
cluding altogether about IL 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 gov
| ernment of the city took place until
1898, when the New Charter was
adopted by the Legislature BY Act
Of 1898, Chapter 1913. 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 O. Latrobe, Daniel Q.
Gilman, Samuel d. Schmucker,
George r. Gather, Jr., Thomas Ire-
land Elliott, Thomas G Hayes, Lewis
Putzel New Charter Commission,
Frederick T. Dorton. Secretary. Com
siderable sentiment developed q few
years ago for another New Charter
but that sentiment has practically
! passed away as the impression has
become general that the present City
! Charter is perhaps the best form or
city government in existence The
| principal changes effected by the
New Charter we're:
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 of the
Board Of Estimates com
posed Of the Mayor. thc rre-
sident of the Second Branch
City Council and the Comp
troller, all elected by the pc0-
pie, and the City Solicitor
and City Engineer, appointed
by the Mayor subject to con-
flrmation by the Second
Branch, with power to com
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
Mayor, the President Of the
Second Branch City Council,
the Comptroller. City Solicit
tor and City Register, who
should have control Of the
awarding of all contracts oil
over $500, coupled with the
requirement that tho con-
tracts over $500 should be
awarded TO the lowest re-
sponsihle bidder after COM
petitive bidding
The institution Of these two
Boards secures to the city al the ads
vantages of 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 safeguarded
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 reten-
tion Of the City Council keeps tho
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 az 4
Mayor and City Council) which rs
apt to be wasteful OF the public
money and frequently 70 hreed cor
ruption and favoritism, and a purely
j commission form Of government,
} which is apt to grow autocralic and
to be too little responsive TO The win
, Of the people, The Baltimore CITY
| Charter combines the ADVANTAGES 81
| the commission form and the boitl.
cal form and avoids The disadyant
ages OF both
( Another change which was ar
: Improvement made hy the New
! Charter Of 1898 was tho reduction
} in the number OF Members of tht
Second Branch City Council and tht
t provision that the President of tht
: Second Branch should be a sort 81
! Vice-Mayor and be elected by tht
: people for four years The divisiog
= Of the various functions OF city gov
: ernment into departments all o'
. them subject, as to their expendf
0 ! tures, TO the Board Of Estimates ant
/ .Ft Az.