Some Defects in Municipal Government. 113 



to the character and the qualifications of men elected 

 to the office of mayor, is that the office is generally filled 

 with men of little individuality. 



In brief, the mayor is made by statute the conserver 

 of the peace, keeper of the seal, the servant of thei 

 council and its presiding officer. He is required to report 

 to the council concerning municipal affairs, to supervise 

 the conduct of the officers, and to recommend to the 

 council advisable measures. He is not charged with the 

 duties of an executive officer beyond the limits referred 

 to. He does not have the power to appoint the princi- 

 pal administrative officers of the government. He is 

 graciously accorded the privilege of appointing a chief 

 of police, and the members of the police department, 

 and some of the officers of the health department, but 

 he may not even appoint the members of his police force 

 without the concurrence of the council. With such lim- 

 itations prescribed. by law, his duties and powers are by 

 no means as great as the English town clerk. 



The mayor should be made an officer of greater 

 responsibility, both by legislation and in the popular 

 estimation. His duties and powers would undoubtedly 

 be increased, in the ordinary city, if it were accorded 

 the privileges of municipal home rule in a practical 

 sense. Until cities are given home rule the statutes 

 should be so changed as to make the executive not only 

 the nominal, but the actual, responsible head of the city 

 government. He should have the power to make all 

 appointments of administrative officers, even some of 

 those which are now elected. The mayor should not be 

 required to share any of his appointive responsibility 

 with the city council. A divided responsibility invari- 

 ably leads to bad government. Neither should he be 

 permitted to divide responsibility, properly his, by hav- 

 ing even the least administrative duty performed by 

 the city council. Such a division of duties is demoral- 

 izing, both to the office of mayor and to the office of 

 councilman. The mayor should also be held account- 

 able for the financial policy of his administration. He 

 should accordingly be required by law to present to the 

 city council a budget at the beginning of each fiscal year, 

 and to take direct charge of, and be responsible for, the 



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