The diamond drill., 1918-02-23
PUBLIC FORUM.
Editor Diamond Drill:

Two questions are frequently asked
in connection with the proposed char
ter OF the City of Crystal Falls, viz:
/. That are the reasons for chang
ing the old charter and what advan-
tages will come by the adoption OF the
new charter?
.. Under what authority is the
present charter vised?
desire the publicity of your paper
to answer briefly as possible these
questions.
i. The reasons for changing the
old charter: II is blanket charter
passed by the legislature for the gov
! crnment OF fourth-class cities. BY rea-
son of the necessity Of making 1t ap
ply to all cities of that class II is OF
necessity very cumbersome and COM
plex. Many of it's provisions are OBJ
solete; Others are practicable for
cities of certain localities and popula-
tions. and highly impracticable for
cities OF other localities with different
conditions and needs. Instead Of sim
| plifying city government 1t hedges II
with insurmountable red tape and con
fusion; instead of eliminating politics
from the conduct OF city government
1t puts political strife and rivalry in
the guardianship of city affairs; in
stead of centralizing the responsible
! ity OF its officials it creates a large and
stead of providing for a simple AMI
| practical budget system IL creates
system so complex that Implications
and wastefulness result: 1t permits
its wards to be divided in such way
that small ward has as much voice
| in the city government as ward ten
times its size; II creates no response
BILE head for the various city depart
ments, and requires no system of ac-
counts or bookkeeping by which a check
may be maintained on the public funds
and disbursements il does not limit
the Indebtedness which the city can
contract and assume; il leaves the
city helpless and at the mercy of in
competent officials.
Why should the proposed Charter
he adopted
1t abolishes the ward system OF
electing public officials and makes the
! officials elected representative of the
entire city; it eliminates politics en-
tirely from the city government, by
providing for non-partisan elections
and makes competency and character
the test; it centralizes responsibility
in small body consisting OF a mayor
and two commissioners elected by the
electors Of the entire city who are the
administrative and legislative heads
OF the city, II lengthens the terms of
these officials 10 the period of three
years and safeguards the city against
| incompetent officials by providing for
recall elections OF such officials upon
petition OF the electors il provides for
the appointment by the commission
Of city clerk, city treasurer. city at
torney, city health officer, city assess
or and city marshal, and limits their
terms Of appointment to a period of
one year; 1t provides for the appoint
ment by the commission of city man
ager who Is subject to the commission
shall be acting head and responsible
for each department OF the city, who
Is made budget commissioner and
charged with the duty Of keeping the
! commission advised OF the financial
condition and needs Of the city; II
provides for the election of three su-
pervisors 10 be elected by the electors
Of the entire city, who represents the
city on the board of supervisors OF the
county; II creates three voting pre-
cincts In the city, and provides for a
board OF registration OF one elector
from each precinct VINO, previous to
every election shall meet at the City
Hall for the purpose of registering
electors and correcting the registra-
tion lists; II makes IL unlawful for any
officer elected or appointed under the
charter to be interested in any con-
tract with the city; and no contract
exceeding $500 can be awarded with
out advertising and comparative bids
therefore; IL places the city cemetery
under the control and supervision OF
the commission; it provides for sim
pie and Uniform system OF bookkeep-
ing and accounting, and makes the
city clerk purchasing agent for tho
city, all supplies to be purchased on
ly upon acquisitions OF the city man
ager, II provides for a comprehensive