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While the oitizens oí Ann Arbor are yer...

While the oitizens oí Ann Arbor are yer... image
Parent Issue
Day
31
Month
January
Year
1896
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

While the oitizens oí Ann Arbor are yery tiretl of the jangling between the eonrseil and the board of publio works, and have little patience iu hearing of tbe oontroversy, the latest manifests of the board of public works seem to oall for sorne remarks. The board wants harmony but proposes to secure it by the practical abolition of the oounoil or rather the turuing of that body into a board of estimates. Complete harmony ■wonld result as it does when the lion swallows tbe larnb. The board desires tha tthe entire street, sewer and crosswalk funds should be turned over to them that they shonld be permitted to spend this mouey or give it away as they saw fit, that they should be perroitted to make suoh improvements, and snch only, as in their judgment seeras proper. It is perhaps natural for any body of men to thiuk they could do better if they had more power. But the board of public works loses sight of the fact that it was never contemplated that they should be the council and that their plan of city government isentirely contrary to the theories that undeiiie all our American forms of governnient. It is perhaps outside of the argument to state that the members of the board are too f ar removed f rom the people to be entrusted witb too much arbitrary power, and thafc thus being removed their zeal for improvements would not be held in cbeck so mucb by the fear of higher taxes. But it seercs entirely pertinent to cali attention again to the complete divoroe between legislatura and executive funotions which makes our American form of government. An ideal man, of unerring judgment, and of complete self control, might safely be intrusted with all the powers of government, be an absolute monarch in faot. Bnt on this account, it cannotbe argued tbat an absolute monarchy is the best form of goverument. And it can hardly be argued that the board whose manifestó we are considering has approached so near ideal perfection, thafc they should be intrnsted with a ombination of the powers, whioh wipes ont the differeuce in form of government betweeu absolute monarchies and republice. The American oougress does not apropriate a lump snm for the improvement of rivsrs and harbors, it appropriates so mnch for this harbor and o mueh for that river. The state legislature does not appropriate a lump snm for educational purposes. It appropriates so ruuch for this institntion and so much for that purpose. Neither does congress or the legisl ature attempt to step over its powers and take personal charge of the work of construction. These are execntive functions and are outside their powers. The board of pnblic works is entirely an administrativo board; surely executive in its powers. The conncil appropriates a eertain snm of money to improve a certain street. It is the business of the board of the work to take charge. It .is their business to recommend improvemeuts, bnt the judgment which should decide whether ornot the recommendations should be carried ■ out, is placed in the eouncil, a body of men elected by the people and directly respon sible to the people. The board claims, that now no one knows where to place responsibility. If this is true, the fault is not with the systein but with the men who opérate it If money is spent on an nnnecessary improvement the fault lies with the conncil, whose judgment decided that it should be made. If money is wasted in making an improvement, the fault lies wholly with the board of public works wbose business it was to see that the work was properly and economicrlly done. The decisión line between the two is as strong as it is in tbe national and state governments betweeu legislativo and executive offioers. It is so fundamental that every tryo in government should understand it. And if the oonncil and the board should keep it in view this jangling which nowgoes on, would at once cease.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News