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Show II OQDEN, THE LEGISLATURE AND ' THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, i The Standard has not clamored for change In the present commission I i form of government, but, now that I I ' the legislature has the subject under I consideration, we do ask that the peo-I peo-I pie of Ogdoh be allowed to vote on he Question of making the Initiative, i i re7erendum and recall a part of the law. The legislators should be willing will-ing to grant to Ogden as full a measure meas-ure of self government as the people themselves demand and to so modify the present law as to make it conform con-form to the majority view. We do j not believe in foisting on the community commu-nity objectionable legislation not even the initiative, referendum and recall, if those reform measures arc offensive but we do hold thai th8 people should bo offered an opportunity opportu-nity to say whether they want those powers conferred by legislative enactment, en-actment, and to that end request that the present law-making bod submit the question to ihe citizens of this municipality and provido means for making operative their verdict, j The claim may be put forth that this i would call for special legislation, but i as the measure could be made to ap ply only to cities of from 20,000 to 40,000, and as Ogden would be the ! only city In that class, no special legislation would be in Invoked and B no city would be affected except Og den. When members of the legislature j broached the subject of abolishing the I commission form of government we J" - advised against an election in July J or any attempt to oust the present I mayor and commissioners from office I without first submitting; the broader J question of the success or failure of BhT- the commission form Itself to the people peo-ple and obtaining an expression from those who voted the commissioners into office. The commissioners were voted into office and they should not be legislated out, but recalled by a vote of the people, If they are objectionable. objec-tionable. But as to the commission form of government, that is a different differ-ent IsBue. The new form was legisla ted Into existence without the con-- con-- Ij L cent of the governed. Therefore, if I powers have been conferred by 6uch j legislation which the people them selves would not have granted, the Jft3' should be provided for abndc:-B""'ing abndc:-B""'ing those powers and making the new I government to conform with public opinion. Ogden, when the law was being ir " framed, was led to understand that ' . Mr , . . the Des Moines form of government was to supplant the old system We now find that the Dea Moines plan was followed only to the extent ol granting plonary powers to the commissioners, com-missioners, while omitting those most essential restraints, the initiative, ref-I ref-I erendunu and recall. We are not much concerned as to the personnel of the board of commissioners. com-missioners. If the citizens of Ogden retain a mastery over them The present legislature should grant to Ogden tho privilege or saying whether It desire the Initiative, referendum ref-erendum and recall. |
