The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-24
THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER "a, 1882

under the council form the alder
men would have been paid less than
$1,000.
They also urged that the old plan
was more representative form Of
government as under council form
the taxpayers in AL wards knew their
aldermen, and had regular contact
with them. It was said that under
the commission plan all or ma
jority of the commissioners could be
and often were elected from one Sec
ton Of the city. Objection was also
made to the fact that the commits
sioners fixed the budgets and then
supervised the expenditure Of them.
The tremendous cost of poor relief,
which reached $4,000 In the fiscal
year Of 1892 was special point
Of attack, and the charge was made
that much Of this cost was unneces-
sary and unwise expenditures had
been made.
At the height of the discussion for
change the city campaign came on
and the Hulteng administration
openly espoused the cause of two
candidates to replace Dinnie and
Turner, who were not candidates.
Nothing was done about the matter
until the result of the election was
known. The election of o. s. Han
son and Henry Kennedy against the
administration slate gave the taxpay-
ers confidence that the city admin
istration organization could not con-
troll the city vote. This was appar-
ent as their two candidates had run
third and fourth In a field of IL.
This gave them confidence to again
start an attack upon the commission
form of government.
State politics interviewed and the
taxpayers agreed to keep city politics
out of the limelight until after the
June primaly election. The success
of the tax reduction initiated meas
ures made the matter of the proposed
change a pressing issue in the coun-
ellis Of the association and when the
city commission refused to meet the
demands of the taxpayer group in
cutting the 1928 budget, which be-
came effective in July, the group
turned to discussion Of either a
change in the form of government
or recall.
The motion came up at the Aug. Is
meeting Of the taxpayers and the dis
cussion was so involved that when
the proposal to circulate petitions for
changing the form Of government
came up many members thought they
were voting for recall, according to
w. H. Alexander, taxpayer chairman
He said the motion carried about
five to one.
Hold Meetings at Noon
During the discussion of the pro-
posed change the most persistent
criticism of the commission was the
fact that their meetings are held
during the noon hour instead OF at
night. Proponents of the change said
the old council met at night and res
idents We're able to attend the meet
ings and keep informed on civic mat
tiers.
Administration supporters natur-
ally oppose change in the form of
government but fear that, because of
the present temper Of the voters, any
change may meet with approval. On
the other hand, the taxpayer leaders
fear the opposition of the University
district, which comprises a good
share of the city population. They
feel that the university folks will op-
pose the change on the ground that
1t is a step backward. Theoretically,
the taxpayers say, the commission
plan may have advantages, and may
be better in larger cities, but in
Grand Forks it has not been advan-
tageous.
Whether recall or a change in
government will be demanded ap-
pears to be bothersome question at
this time. The time element Is
against the change, as taxpayers are
demanding immediate relief and the
only method they see for quick ac-
ton in cutting city expense is to have
an immediate change Of some kind.
The recall is the quickest, and tax
payer officers may disregard the mo-
ton passed Aug. Is and call another
meeting to reconsider that action. !.