The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-24
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OF the city five charter amendments To- be-
voted on at q special election on or about
February n. II Is Of primo importance
that the voters give these proposed changes iu
their charter Of government the most careful
consideration. briefly stated they are.
L. Permitting the municipality to absorb
additional territory and new additions boy
ordinance without consulting the owners or
Inhabitants ot the proposed addition
2. Requiring commissioners 10 be cloct-
cd for a specific officc-thc candidate nam
Ing the commlssoncrship he Is running FOR
At present candidates merely nlr by num-
Der and are assigned after their election
2. Making tho city officials the duly
constituted excise board thus separating
the city government completely from the
county government.
I. Abollshlng partisnnism from city
electlons-provdng for a single ticket In
both primary ana election without partisan
name or emblem over tn, list OF candidates
5. Creating clvil service commission to
operate the police and fire department,
We desire to consider these amendments on
their merits for brief space that the public
may have Intelligent understanding of just
what is involved In each, Naturally thoro Is
considerable to be said In behalf OF each. but
likewise there are obligations The voter must
say whether the advantages outweigh the dis
advantages or dangers in each case.
Amendment No. I, enabling the city author
tiles to act In the matter OF taking In outside
territory for the purpose OF taxation and adj
ministraton without the consent or application
OF tho owners or inhabitants Of said territory,
fails to command approval after careful exam
d. -.t-
tageous this might be to the city ON occasions II
is susceptible OF being used In a way highly
detrimental to the interests and the rights In
equity OF individual citizens Until majority
Of the people of any given addition or territory
are ready to petition for admission to tho city
until the owners OF any given tract ready
to seek the advantages OF incorporation In the
municipality, such tract population should
be allowed to remain outside We doubt very
seriously the wisdom OF voting Charter
Amendment No, /.
Amendment and Amendment each com
pl!ment the other In fact but even It's own
merits Amendment Is entitled 10 very serious
and we think favorable consideration. 1t pro-
vldes that candidate must name the COM
misslonership TO which he aspiros. and must
be voted with reference to that particular
commissionership. Thus the voters win then
know TO what office they are clcctnE each ctn-
didate and win be enabled to intclligently
measure the candidates fitness for the office
As the law stands the commissioners are elected
by number alone, Whether the candidate viii
be assigned the duties Of the commissioner OF
police or that OF finance remain unknown until
after the officers are elected and assigned by
lot. whatever may be said in favor of this
OF It In an academic and theoretical way--it
IL In practice not only obnoxious and subvertlvc
OF a clear principal Of government but It re-
suits In some groteaque incongruItics. A can
didate may be unusually well equipped by eX-
perienco and disposition to be a police COM
missioner yet not at all adapted to the duties
OF finance or water commissioners And 50
on. Every official should bo elected to a spe-
cifio office, that the voter mny ntcEcntly
appraisc HIS capabilities In connection with the
duties OF that office. Charter Amendment 80 .
deserves to be adopted quite regardless OF all
other amendments.
Amendment No. 3. dvortlur county and city
and making the city board the official excise
board thus placing in the hands or the city
authorities all matters Of appropriations costs
etc IL q highly controversial subject 80
matter how approached there is a wealth ot
gument pro and con. In view ot tho tact
that the city and county authorities are almost
always at loggerhcads regarding this vcr,
matter 1t seems to The world that this amend
ment deserves especial confederation before Il i
rejected 1t is with the greatest difrculty tha
one Is enabled 10 Justify an arrangement which
permits the voters Of the cit" OF Tulsa tn Sc
up their own form OF government order thei
own affairs in every way, elect their officials
levy and pay their taxes etc. etc. yet dcnlc
them the right to say how much money the
shall expend for this department ana that ou
of the general taxes raised And iu addition l.
this does put the determination Of this matte
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