Re age purposes. Rejected, 132,741 for, 97,- | Art. XVII, prohibiting the manufacture 432 against. or sale of intoxicating liquors for bevAmending Art. IV, Sec. 1, providing erage purposes. Proposed by initiative for the initiative and referendum. petition. Adopted, 146,574 for, 117,132 jected, 187,711 for, 51,544 against. against. Amending Art. IV, Sec. 11, permitting the approval in part by the Governor of single items of an appropriation bill. Rejected, 136,700 for, 83,324 against. Amending Art. VI, Sec. 2, increasing the number of associate justices of the Supreme Court from four to six, and providing for the appointment of the clerk by the court. Rejected, 130,363 for, 108,002 against. Amending Art. VI, Sec. 7, changing the length of the term of the judge of the Probate Court. Rejected, 186,847 for, 72,361 against. Nevada. Submitted November 7: Amending Art. IX, Sec. 3. changing the state debt limit from $300,000 to one per cent. of the assessed valuation. Adopted. 16,368 for, 6,752 against. Amending Art. XI, Sec. 3, relating to the use of certain revenues for educational purposes. Adopted, 17,492 for, 5,167 against. New Hampshire.-A proposal of the legislature for the call of a constitutional convention submitted on Nov. 14,525. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 2, author-7 was adopted by a vote of 21,589 to izing the setting aside of a revolving fund of not over 250,000 from the school and swamp land funds to be used in clearing such lands and improving them by roads, ditches and firebreaks. Adopted, 240,975 for, 58.100 against. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 6, authorizing the investment and loaning of school funds on improved farm lands within the state. Adopted, 211,529 for, 56,147 against. Amending Art. IX, authorizing the legislature to provide by law for the protection and regulation of all public waters and rivers, and for the mining and sale of minerals situated therein. Rejected, 183,597 for, 64,255 against. Missouri. Submitted November 7: Amending Art. IV, Sec. 47, empowering the legislature to provide by law for the pensioning of the deserving blind. Adopted, 385,627 for, 272,908 against. Amending the constitution, empowering the legislature to create a state land bank with power to loan money on the security of agricultural lands. Proposed by initiative petition. Rejected, 296,964 for, 346,443 against. Amending the constitution, prohibiting the manufacture, importation or sale of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes after July 1, 1917. Proposed by initiative petition. Rejected, 294,288 for, 416,826 against. Montana.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. XII, Sec. 2, authorizing the legislature to exempt from taxation evidences of debt secured by mortgages of record upon real or personal property. Rejected, 48,656 for, 83,198 against. New York.-Passed by the legisla ture of 1916, to be submitted to the legislature of 1917: Amending Art. I, Sec. 6, relating to waiver of indictment and trial by jury in certain cases. the suffrage to women. Amending Art. II, Sec. 1, extending relating to the establishment of rules Amending Art. VI by adding Sec. 24, affecting practice, pleading and procedure in the courts. Amending Art. VII, Secs. 4 and 11, relating to the period and payment of debts contracted by the state. Amending Art. VII, Sec. 7, relating to the construction of state highways in the forest preserve. Amending Art. VII, Sec. 8, relating to the sale or lease of a certain portion of the Erie canal. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 10, relating to the limitation of indebtedness of cities of the first class. A proposal of the legislature for the call of a constitutional convention submitted on Nov. 7 was defeated by a vote of 506,563 to 658,269. North Carolina.-Submitted vember 7: No Amending Art. II, by adding Sec. 29, restricting local, private and special legislation. Adopted. Amending Art. IV, Sec. 11, providing for the appointment of emergency judges to prevent delay in trials. Adopted. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 1, prohibiting the creation of corporations by special act. Adopted. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 4, imposing on the legislature the duty of providing general laws for organization of cities, towns and incorporated villages. Adopted. North Dakota.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. XIX, Sec. 216, to porvide for the establishment of a State Normal School at Dickinson. Adopted, 60,582 for, 43,334 against. Amending Art. XIX, Sec. 21, to pro vide for the establishment of a State Passed by the legislature of 1915, Amending Art. XII, Sec. 183, relating to the debt limits of cities and other political divisions of the state. ing the legislature from passing any law Amending the constitution, prohibitconcerning the registration of electors, making the initiative the only method registration system for cities and towns. of enacting such law, and providing a Proposed by initiative petition. Rejected, 140,366 for, 114,824 against. Oregon.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. I, Sec. 1, providing for a tax on land based on full rental value, and establishing a home-makers fund. Proposed by initiative petition. Reject Amending Art. XII, Sec. 185, authorizing the legislature to establish a state fund for loans on agricultural land. Amending the constitution, authorized, 43,390 for, 154,980 against. ing the legislature to establish a state system of hail insurance. Amending the constitution, requiring the concurrence of four of the five judges of the supreme court in any decision declaring legislative enactments or laws of the state unconstitutional. tive Amending Art. I, Sec. 36, permitting the manufacture and sale of fermented malt liquors containing four per cent. or less of alcohol. Proposed by initiapetition. Rejected, 85,973 for, 140,599 against. Amending Art. I, Sec. 36, prohibiting the importation of intoxicating liquor for beverage purposes. Proposed by in109,671 against. itiative petition. Adopted, 114,932 for, Oklahoma.-Submitted August 1: Amending Art. II, Sec. 19, prescribing a jury of 12 in capital cases, of eight in civil and criminal cases other than capital in courts of record other jected, 100,027 for, 100,701 against. Repealing Art. II, Sec. 6, relating_to the voting of negroes and Chinese. Rethan county courts, and of six in county courts not courts of record; and providing the Governor to veto single items ing that three-fourths of the jury may in appropriation bills. Adopted, 141,773 Amending Art. V, Sec. 15, empowerreturn a verdict in civil and all crim- for, 53,207 against. inal cases less than felonies. 49,954 for, 142,333 against. Rejected, Amending Art. VII, Sec. 7, relating to the appointment and duties of the clerk of the Supreme Court. 58,933 for, 134,963 against. Rejected, Repealing Art. X, Sec. 12a, relating to taxes collected for maintenance of schools. Rejected, 76,093 for, 127,525 against. Amending Art. X, Sec. 21, authorizing the creation of a State Tax Commission of three members and prescribing its powers and duties. Rejected, 50,656 for, 146,130 against. Amending Art. X, Sec. 27, authorizing municipalities with the approval of three-fifths of the taxpaying voters to incur indebtedness for the purpose of acquiring public utilities. 44,687 for, 147,933 against. Rejected, Amending Art. XXIII, Sec. 7. relating to the compulsory workmen. Rejected, 50,995 for, 139,132 compensation of against. state purposes, until Jan. 1, 1935, all Amending Art. IX by adding Section 1b, exempting from taxation, except for vessels of 50 tons or more, whose ports of registration are in the state of OreAdopted, 119,652 for, 65,410 gon. limiting the tax levies of the state and Amending the constitution by adding Proposed by initiaAdopted, 107,488 for, Re providing for the establishment of a Amending Art. XIV by adding Sec. 4, location of State Normal School and ratifying the Amending the constitution, consoli-jected, 96,829 for, 109,523 against. certain state institutions. Proposed by initiative petition. dating the Supreme Court and the Criminal Courts of Appeals in the Supreme Court of Oklahoma and prescribing its organization and procedure. 42,896 for, 149,272 against. Rejected, Amending the constitution, relating to the original jurisdiction of the district courts in all civil and criminal cases. Rejected, 41,194 for, 157,284 against. Amending the constitution, prescribing a literacy qualification for the suffrage. Proposed by initiative petition. Rejected, 90,605 for, 133,149 against. Submitted November 7: Amending Art. III, providing for tripartisan state, county and precinct election boards. Proposed by initiative petition. Rejected, 147,067 for, 119,602 against. lature of 1916, to be submitted to the Pennsylvania.-Passed by the legislegislature of 1917: ing the courts of common pleas in PhilAmending Art. V, Sec. 6, consolidatadelphia County. the state to issue bonds to the amount Amending Art. IX, Sec. 4, authorizing of $50,000,000 for highway improve ment. Amending Art. IX, Sec. 8, relating to the debt limits of counties, townships, of the city of Philadelphia. school districts and municipalities, and 16, authorizing the state or municipaliAmending Art. XVIII by adding Sec. ties to condemn property in excess of actual requirements for public purposes. 206 Rhode Island.-Submitted Novem- | irrigation districts. Adopted, 58,775 for, 44,238 against. ber 7: Amending Art, XVII, Sec. 1, authorizing the state and municipalities to condemn property in excess of actual requirements for highway or park purposes. Adopted, 31,709 for, 6,786 against. South vember 7: Amending Art. XXIII, Sec. 2, requiring the legislature of 1917 to provide by law for calling and holding a convention to revise the state constitution. Rejected, 35,377 for, 56,432 against. Adding Art. XXIV, prohibiting the manufacture, importation or sale of intoxicating liquors for beverage purCarolina.-Submitted No- poses after July 1, 1917. Adopted, 65,334 for, 53,380 against. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 7, adding a proviso relating to the bonded indebtedness of School District No. 1 of Kershaw County. Adopted. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 7, adding a proviso relating to the bonded indebtedness of the city of Anderson. Adopted. Amending Art. X, Sec. 5, adding a proviso relating to the bonded indebtedness of the Charleston School District. Adopted. Amending Art. X by adding Sec. 15, empowering the town of Mullins to assess abutting property for permanent improvements. Adopted. Amending Art. X by adding Sec. 18, authorizing the town of Clinton and the city of Easley to assess abutting property for permanent improvements. Adopted. Amending Art. XI, Sec. 5, by adding a proviso relating to Spartanburg County. Adopted. Amending Art. XII, Sec. 2, providing for the appointment of a board of regents and of a superintendent for institutions for the insane. Adopted. South Dakota.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. VII, Sec. 1, extending the suffrage to women. Rejected, 53,432 for, 58,350 against. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 9, authorizing the leasing of school land for a longer period than five years. Rejected, 41,379 for, 61,798 against. Amending Art. XI, authorizing the legislature to classify property for purposes of taxation, limiting the tax levy to two mills for all purposes, authorizing taxation of the incomes of individuals and the franchises of corporations, and abolishing the taxation of the moneys, investments, and loans of banks. Rejected, 43,793 for, 55,568 against. Amending Art. XIII, Sec. 1, authorizing the state, by the counties thereof, to establish a system of rural credits upon the security of real estate. Adopted, 57,569 for, 41,957 against. Amending Art. XIII by adding Sec. 9, authorizing the state to engage in the construction and maintenance of roads, and the supplying of coal to the people of the state from state lands. Adopted, 75,922 for, 33,521 against. Amending Art. XXI, Sec. 2. authorizing the legislature to regulate and fix the salaries of all elective state officers. Rejected, 39,169 for, 61,223 against. Amending Art. XXI by adding Sec. 7, authorizing the legislature to provide for irrigation and the organization of Tennessee. A proposal of the legislature for the call of a constitutional convention, submitted on Aug. 3, was defeated by 43,940 for to 67,336 against. Texas.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. VII, Sec. 3, authorizing the levy of an ad valorem county tax, not to exceed 50 cents per $100 valuation of property for the maintenance of the public schools of the county, and the levy of an ad valorem district tax not to exceed $1 per $100 valuation of property for the maintenance of the public schools of the district. Rejected, 122,040 for, 129,139 against. Utah.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. VII, Sec. 17, relating to the duties of the auditor and of the treasurer. Rejected, 18,103 for, 42,416 against. Amending Art. XIII, relating to the taxation of mines. Rejected, 14,957 for, 55,133 against. 7: Washington.-Submitted November Amending Art. VI, Sec. 1, requiring that voters in elections for the authorization of bond issues shall be taxpayers. Rejected, 88,963 for, 180,179 against. West Virginia.-Submitted November 7: Amending Art. IV, Sec. 1, extending the suffrage to women. Rejected, 63,540 for, 161,607 against. Amending Art. VIII, Sec. 23, prescribing the mode of election, term and compensation of commissioners of the county courts. Rejected, 80,674 for, 130,023 against. Wisconsin.-Passed by the legislature of 1915 to be submitted to the legislature of 1917: Amending Art. VI, Sec. 4, permitting sheriffs to succeed themselves. Wyoming. Submitted November 7: Amending Art. VII, Sec. 6, authorizing the investment of funds held in trust by the state for educational purposes in first mortgages on farm lands. Adopted. Amending Art. XVI by adding Sec. 9, authorizing the state to undertake the construction and improvement of roads and certain other works of internal improvement without special authorization of the electors. Adopted. CHARTERS that a municipality should help to solve these problems. in national politics, launched his No sooner had Speer, a Democrat charter and his mayoralty boom than the Republicans followed in his footsteps. They framed certain charter amendments providing for a return to the former mayoralty plan with a small council, and named W. W. Booth as their candidate for mayor. At the election on May 9, the voters had three charters before them, all involving the concentration of power in the hands of a single administrator, one along city-manager lines, the others giving specifically mentioned politicians great power with no safeguards. Speer carried the election by a large majority (about 10,000), the people seeming to be blind to every consideration other than to secure what they regarded as an efficient administration of the city's affairs. Denver.-Under the Denver com- | tunities and the employment of labor mission charter, no election was pro- are necessary to a city's growth and vided for any office in the spring of 1916. Certain voters, however, calling themselves the Denver Charter League, secured sufficient signatures to a petition to submit a proposition to adopt the city-manager plan. Friends of former Mayor R. W. Speer came into the field with another charter which not only transformed the existing commission form of government into the mayoralty form, but named Speer in the charter as the mayor to serve until June 1, 1919. This charter placed the legislative power in the hands of a council, consisting of nine members elected from nine districts, none of which was to contain a population of less than 15,000 persons. To avoid the expense of an additional election, however, five of the city's organizations (the Civic and Commerce Association, the Denver Trades Assembly, the Denver Real Estate Exchange, the Rotary Club and the Manufacturers' Association) were each given authority to appoint one member of the council, these five when appointed to serve with four to be named by the mayor until the next general city election in May, 1917. The Speer charter concentrated all administrative power in the hands of the mayor, giving him power and responsibility far exceeding that lodged in the mayor under the earlier charter under which Speer had served. Civil service was swept aside, except as to the fire and police department, which are covered by a state statute, the only examination provided for being one for competency to be taken by the employee after appointment. Another feature was the creation of an industrial bureau to encourage industries and the employment of labor, on the theory that business oppor | Denver, Salem, Mass., after threeCommission Government.-Besides years experience, abandoned the commission form of government by a vote of the electors in November, 1915, and returned to a mayor and council. In September, 1916, Huntsville, Ala., took similar action. In addition to these successful attacks on the commission plan, the only three so far in the history of the movement, there was another unsuccessful attack in Spokane, the third in five years. ernment has been adopted under some In most instances commission govhome-rule provision. The only states which impose commission government by means of a general law are Pennsylvania and Utah. states have optional laws: California (for cities under 10,000), Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisi208 The following ana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas (cities under 10,000), Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The following is a list of cities adopting commission government since the list published in the YEAR BOOK for 1915 (p. 223): grouping by population. The council cities led, with the commission cities second, though the tax levies of the latter were but little above those of the cities of the third type. In this there is a suggestion of relatively greater efficiency of the commission form of government. But the figures showing debts and assets are evidence on the other side. The commission cities had by far the largest average 306 per capita debt-$56.94 in 1915, as 4,657 against $46.00 for the council cities 21,550 and $39.16 for those which have 4,214 changed since 1913. Likewise the average per capita assets are lowest for the commission cities. Population, 1910 35,403 3,082 9,680 1,314 2,669 1,193 The City-Manager Plan.-There has 1,493 been a steady growth of interest in 6,934 2,108 the city-manager plan during the 2,180 year. As the subjoined list will show, 5,011 the number of city-manager cities is 14,817 now 101, as compared with 82 report4,583 ed in the YEAR BOOK for 1915 (p. 25,236 224). The City Managers Associa3,040 6,202 tion is likewise developing in inter3,953 est and influence. At the first con1,500 vention in 1914 (A. Y. B., 1915, p. 12,515 241), eight attended; at the second, held in Dayton, Nov. 17-20, 1915, 17 were present (see also Municipal Organizations, infra). The volume of its proceedings was thus described by Richard S. Childs in the National Municipal Review: 39,165 Comparative Financial Statistics under Council and Commission Government.-Early in 1916 the Census Bureau issued an interesting comparison of the financial statistics of cities under the council and commission forms of government. Of the 24 cities compared, eight had the council form in 1913 and in 1915, eight had the commission form in these years, and eight the council form in 1913 and the commission form in 1915. The average size of the council cities was larger than that of the commission cities, while the latter were larger, on the average, than those of the third type. The comparisons are made in the form of per capita figures, which, however, do not put the three classes of cities upon a wholly comparable basis because of the tendency of municipal expenditures to increase faster than the population. The report presents a comparison of the property tax levies, the governmental cost payments, indebtedness, and assets. In the case of property tax levies, revenue receipts and governmental cost payments, the volume of expenditure per capita followed the terial for the commission-manager moveThis volume is ideal propaganda mament. It is packed with the concrete evidences of the successes of the managers and colored with their high purpose. The limp aimlessness of discussion in a typical mayors' conference is replaced by an earnest spirit of "Tell me just how you did it so I can do it too.' There was genuine interchange of ideas and experiences, and the discussions were much more technical than the year before. The following is a complete list of the cities operating under a form of city-manager government, with the names of the city managers so far as their appointments have been nounced; those marked * adopted the system in 1916: Manager an Population, 1910 Norwood, Mass... C. A. Bingham.... |