Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-04
MAJORITY is FOR
REvISE;DEFEATEO
Parliamentary Point Is Brought Up
By Minority TO Hold Up
Increases.


If East Moline voted for immediate
consideration. and for adoption OF the
ordinances granting INCREASES in pay /
for city employees, the ordinances were
referred to the ordinance and finance
committees and will not be up for
final action till the next meeting OF the
council. alderman j. F Ryan ied
the fight against adoption OF the ordf-
nances, and under the rules MS point
prevailed. Only by q two-thlTds vote
can an ordinance be adopted at the
meeting at which it is presented. 1
These measures had not been read be-
fore though they were before the al
dermen Informally at the last meeting. !
Aldermen Ryan. Wilcox and Gelsier /
injected to immediate consideration OF (
the ordinance. Two-thirds of the East
Moline council is six votes, or actually /.
a three-fourths majority
Alderman Carlson of the special I
committee which prepared the ordi-
nances reported that they involve an
additional expense Of S2,400 He also
presented plan Of increasing the
citv's revenues which he said Will
Weld $3.50 a year. He urged immed-
late consideration. Alderman Carlson
fought the delay. claiming that refer
ence to the special committee was sui
ficient. though the city attorney in
clined to the view mat uh1e' NV
rules they could not De acted upon
without consent OF tWo-thlFos Oh Iue
council
Provisions Of the ordinance are ior
the following salaries, Street COM
missioner, sos month; lab0feFs' 50
cents an hour. or at the rate oil 2o4
month when employed by me mohth
city marshal. $loo mohta' assist
ant marshal, Sl0O ana patfolmen 800
special patrolmen al 80 cents an hour'
or SIS a month when employed more
than few days; plumbing inspector
500 a month; fire department chlet
sos, tiremen $95 month; WaterWorks
engineer 500, assistant engineer SS5;
assistant city clerk $40, The raise for
the police and dremen IS $40 month,
for the street department 70 per cent
and for the wateTworks engineer and
assistant SIS month. The clerk in
the city clerks office is not now en-
ployed under an ordinance, but is paid
$50 month,
Committee recommendations for in
creasinE revenue are for licensing Of
junk yards at 500 year. licensing of
cOffe houses at $50 a year. of picture
houses at &25 a year, increasing the
water rent rate slightly to provide
rates from Is to 30 cents a thousand,
with a minimum of 80 cents a month
aud slightly raising the building per-
nit fee Alderman Carlson declared
that the committees recommendations
/ if adOp,ed would provide decent wages
! for city employees and drive no right
! thinking person from the city, either"
! Alderman Lundeen vigorously sup
ported the committees report, and
urged adoption Of the ordinances and
the resolution providing for an in
I crease in revenues, He said no alder
/ NAM could justify kicking about q
( lew cents. Alderman Ryan objected
that he was not kicking over a few
/ cents, but tha the believed the rules
/ should be followed, and that there, is
( no use having committees OF the
] council OF they are 10 have nothing
/ 10 do.
/ Motion was made 10 refer the reso-
luton directing submission of ordi-
nances providing for these increases
In revenue, % the ordinance commit
ice without action, This was lost on a
ne vote the mayor voting negatively,
. Aldermen Ryan, Wilcox, Geisler and
Schleuter voted aifirmatiyely. On a
motion to adopt the resolution for the
hlgher revenue, the vote was again a
( tie, and the mayor declared the mo-
tlon carried, his vote being affirma-
tive.
/ mere was lively discussion Of the
TuIeS' ana the question is being in
Vestlgated by the city attorney as to
"haJ vote Is required to adopt an ordi-
nance There has been an impression
that a two-thirds vote. which in prac-
uce means three-fourths majority
OF the East Moline council is required
But TINS IS strenuously disputed by
SOME ana the city attorney. after a
DrleL investigation, held the opinion
mat majority vote Is all that is nee
eaSary, rms question viii be up al
the tine the ordinances are before the
council lor final action, it is expected
~ u requires vote OF six aldermen
~ carry an ordnance, the minority
can Always dominate the council and
prevent any action,
/ Fons ForFet presented his resigna.
non as patrolman, and it was accept
ca Wliilam Miner was named by the
mayor as ms successor, and the APP.
polhtment was confirmed Alderman
wilcox asked TO De excused from yot-
ing, stating he did not have an ac