Some of these are heads of departments and boards. elected by the people, others are appointed by the mayor; in a few States some of them (for example, the police and health commissioners) are appointed by the governor, or by the State legislature. Serving under these chiefs and boards are assistants and employees, the number of whom increases with the size of the city, and sometimes consists of many thousands. A well organized city will usually have such departments and officers and boards as are indicated by the following outline: (1) Department of Finance: comptroller, board of estimates, collector of taxes. (2) Department of law: city solicitor, or attorney. (3) Department of Public Safety: board of fire commissioners, commissioner of health, inspector of buildings, commissioner of streets. (4) Department of Public Improvement: city engineer, water board, inspector of boilers. (5) Department of Parks and Squares: board of park commissioners. (6) Department of Education: board of school commissioners. (7) Department of Charities and Correction: trustees of the poor, supervisors of city charities. (8) Department of Taxes and Assessment: court of taxes and assessment. (9) Board of Police Commissioners. (10) Miscellaneous city librarian, superintendent of lamps and lighting, surveyor, constables, superintendent of public buildings, public printer. IV. City Courts. In every large city there is a system of courts extending from the police or magistrate court up to a supreme court, but the judges of these courts, although they may be elected by the people of the city, are not strictly officers of the municipal government. Justice is administered in the name of the State, and the judicial department of a city is merely a portion of the State ju diciary acting within the borders of the city. Appeals from courts of the city are taken to the supreme court of the State. The "Commission" System of Municipal Government. In some of the cities of some of the States much of the elaborate machinery described above has been done away with and the "commission" system adopted. Under this system the entire responsibility for the government of the city is centered in a small group of men, usually five in number. One member of the commission (council) is the mayor. In the governing of the city there is no separation of the executive from the legislative power; the mayor and the other members of the commission act together both in the making of ordinances and in the execution of them. In the election of the commission ward lines are disregarded-each member being voted for by the city at large. This system has been adopted by Houston, Texas, Des Moines, Iowa, Haverhill, Massachusetts, and in many other important cities. The Sphere of Municipal Activity. In the early days of our history the powers granted by a charter were such as were necessary to satisfy special local needs and these referred chiefly to the preservation of law and order. As the cities grew larger it became necessary for municipal government to render additional services. When it was learned that as an agency for the suppression of crime one street lamp was worth two policemen, cities generally undertook the business of street lighting, and when it was discovered that an engine for the extinguishment of fire was worth many times its cost, they began to purchase fire engines and other apparatus for the volunteer fire department. During the last fifty years the percentage of our urban population has grown with astonishing rapidity, and with the increase in the number and size of cities municipal government has become more and more complex, and the range of municipal activity has widened. It would be difficult to enumerate all the things done by a progressive municipality of to-day. The city government furnishes police protection, supports fire brigades, provides water supplies, lights the streets with gas or electricity, and paves and cleans them, constructs sewers, helps the poor and unfortunate, maintains a system of elementary and high schools, preserves the public health, abates nuisances, inspects food, removes garbage, supports parks, libraries, hospitals, cemeteries, fosters music and literature and art, provides and equips playgrounds for children, and does a score of other things that would have amazed our forefathers. QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT 1. Under what circumstances does government under a municipal incorporation become necessary? 2. Into what two classes may municipal incorporations be divided? 3. Describe the organization of the village or borough. What are the services of municipalities of this class? 4. Why is it quite impossible to give a satisfactory general description of the government of a city? 5. Give an account of the organization and power of the city council. 6. What are the powers and duties of the mayor? 7. Name the usual municipal executive departments. 8. What is the relation of the city courts to the municipality? 9. Describe the "Commission" System. 10. What are some of the things done by the modern municipality? SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES (FOR STUDENTS IN THE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES) 1. Secure, if possible, a copy of your municipal charter and learn the boundaries, the titles of the officers, and the powers of your munieipality. 2. Secure the names of the officers who are now serving in the offices of your town. Which of these are serving without pay? 3. What can you say of the condition of the streets of your town? of the efficiency of your fire department? of the efficiency of your police department of the success of your school system? 4. Look around you and discover something that you as pupils may do to improve your town. (Let each student mention one thing.) 5. You have discovered a few things which you as students may do for the betterment of town affairs. Now organize as a civic club and set about doing these things. 6. Would you vote for a town officer regardless of the political party to which he belongs? Give reasons for your answer. 7. Name all the chartered municipalities situated in the county in which you live. 8. To what extent is your town under county government? II (FOR STUDENTS LIVING IN CITIES) 1. Compare the organization of your city with the one outlined in the text. As your city increases in population what changes will have to be made in its government? 2. What is the length of the mayor's term of office? salary? What officers and boards does he appoint? What is his What is the 3. Describe the organization of your city council. method of representation in this council? Do you know the name of the person who represents your ward in the council? Bound the ward in which you live. 4. (See exercise 5 above, substituting "city" for "town."') 5. (See suggestion 6 above.) 6. A citizen of a city said: "I always vote at State and national elections, but I never vote at municipal elections.'' In what particular was this citizen neglecting his personal interest? What special qualities of citizenship are necessary in a city? 7. Make out a list of the services performed by the national, State and municipal governments respectively. 8. Name a few of the influences that make for bad city government. Can any of these be overcome? 9. What agencies are now at work in your city for the improvement of its government? Topics for Special Work.-The City Council: 14, 137–176. The City Beautiful: 15, 239-248. The City for the People: 15, 280-299. Popular Responsibility: 17, 244-274. Civic Education: 17, 91-120. Home Rule for Cities: 30, 336-344. The Commission" System: 30, 356360. The City the Battle-Ground of Democracy: 30, 503-506. XXX PARTY ORGANIZATION The Nomination of Candidates. One of the most important of the services performed by a political party is to nominate candidates for office. A person may announce himself as a candidate and secure votes for himself without being named as the candidate of a party, but it seldom happens that any one is elected to an important office in this way. Before one can hope for success at the polls one must first receive the endorsement of a political party. A nomination by a party is an announcement to voters from a responsible source that the candidate named possesses personal fitness for the office to which he aspires, and that his political views agree with the doctrines professed by the party. In a great democracy intelligent voting is almost impossible unless candidates are agreed upon before election day. The Development of Party Organization. A history of presidential elections would be a history of party organization. The early presidential elections were conducted without the aid of elaborate party machinery. In 1804 the democratic members of Congress assembled as a caucus and nominated a candidate for the presidency. In making this nomination they acted as private citizens and not, of course, as members of Congress. Presidential candidates continued to be named by the congressional caucus for several elections, although dissatisfaction with the method soon began to show itself. The people were not content |