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By a majority vote of those present at the meeting of the progressive Club at Tucker's store Monday night it was decided to proceed to incorporate Flat River under the commission form of government. At a previous meeting of the club the commission form was discussed, but as no one present was familiar with this form, except in a general, it was decided to appoint a committee to investigate the question and report and recommend the form to be adopted by Flat River at Monday night's meeting. The committee reported in favor of the commission form. After a general discussion of more than an hour a yea and nay vote was taken and the chairman, Dr. Edward Griffin, ruled that the yeas had it. Later some of those favoring the old form of government expressed dissatisfaction with the vote thus taken and requested that a secret ballot be taken. A motion to reconsider was made and unanimously carried. A secret vote was taken which resulted in the commission form being again approved.

It was announced last week that Flat River could not be incorporated under the commission form because of the mistaken idea that the amendment authorizing unorganized communities having a population of 3000 or more to adopt the commission form, had not passed the senate. Mr. Marshall, a member of the investigating committee, was so informed by Mr. Marrs, chief clerk of the House, in a telephone conversation which he had with Mr. Marrs from Jefferson City. But when Representative Moothart, who introduced the Amendment, returned home to this county, it was learned that Mr. Marrs was mistaken and that the ammendment did pass and that there was now no obstacle in the way of Flat River going ahead and adopting the commission form.

For the benefit of those who have not had an opportunity of learning just what the commission form of government is, we present herewith a brief summary of some of the most salient features of this law and a few comparisons between it and the old law:

In the first place the law provides for the election of a mayor and two councilmen or commissioners. Nominees for these offices are chosen at a non-partisan primary election to be held two weeks previous to the regular election. After the primary all but the two men receiving the highest number of votes drop out so that at the general election the voters choose between two men only for the different offices, thus absolutely assuring a majority choice of the electorate. Under the old system where pluralities and not majorities rule, it is quite possible where there are several candidates running for a certain office, for the man receiving a minority of the total vote cast is to be elected.

After the election the three commissioners, all of whom are chosen at large and not by wards, have control of the business of the city. They appoint the minor officers such as marshall, assessor, city clerk, collector, treasurer, etc. They may also if they deem it advisable for the economic transaction of the city's affairs, combine any two or more of these minor offices, and thus make it possible to secure a competent man and pay him a sufficient salary to enable him to devote all of his time to the affairs of the city.

The law makes it easy to remove any officer, either elective or appointed, who fails to do his duty. The minor officers are under the direct control of the commissioners, and the commissioners, through the initiative, referendum and recall feature of the law are under direct control of the people. At any time an officer should conduct the affairs of his office in an objectionable manner he can be recalled by a majority vote of the people. An election for this purpose can be called by a petition containing signatures equal to 25 per cent of the vote cast for mayor at the preceding election. Any city ordinance passed by the commissioners is in a like manner subject to the vote of the people.

Under the old law it has been demonstrated time and again that it is impossible to get rid of an objectionable officer after he has been elected by the people. It is true that an officer can be impeached, but in nearly every instance where this is attempted, the term of office expires before the case is finally disposed of in the courts.

In small cities the office of marshall is especially important because it becomes his duty to see that all the city ordinances and regulations are enforced. For this reason it is important that this officer should be under the direct control of the mayor and councilmen, so that in the event he fails to properly discharge the duties of his office he can be removed at once and have a successor appointed without delay.

Most of our citizens are already familiar with the tactics employed by the boards of aldermen in some of our neighboring cities to defeat the will of the people who placed them in office. The board of aldermen in Farmington had several members who developed such a penchant for coon hunting on the nights when the council was supposed to meet, that for several months they prevented a quorum being present to transact business at a time when the citizens of that town were clamoring for the passage of an ordinance calling for a local option election.

Under the commission form such tactics as this would be impossible because the people, through the referendum, would have it in their power to adopt or repeal any ordinance they saw fit.

One of the best features of the commission form of government is that the people have at all times absolute control of every officer and the way is made easy to remove any officer who fails to do his duty.

Under the old form if an objectionable officer is elected the people have to put up with him no matter how corrupt or incompetent he may prove to be until his term of office expires.

The commission form of government is becoming very popular throughout the whole country and has already been adopted by 285 cities ranging in population from 3000 to 500,000. From the standpoint of efficiency, cities already enjoying this form of government, proclaim there is no comparison between it and the old and cumbersome form.

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, March 30, 1917.

FLAT RIVER CENSUS IS BEING TAKEN THIS WEEK

Petitions for incorporating Flat River are being circulated this week and a census of the population within the proposed corporate limits is also being taken.

It was decided at the last meeting of the Progressive Club to organize under the commission form of government but since that meeting considerable opposition to this form has developed and it has finally been decided to go ahead under the old form. A part of the opposition came from men who are opposed to any form of city government. They waged a campaign of misrepresentation which resulted in considerable misunderstanding as to just what the commission form of government is. For this reason the commission question was dropped. At any time in the future if it is deemed advisable to make a change, this can be accomplished by calling a special election. An effort will be made to have the census and petition completed by next Monday night.

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, April 6, 1917.

INCORPORATION OF FLAT RIVER
TO BE PUSHED VIGOROUSLY TO SUCCESS

The hearing on the petition to incorporate Flat River which was to have been held before the county court at Farmington today (Friday) will not take place by reason of the fact that the petition has been withdrawn. This action was taken in order to prevent a long drawn out fight in the courts as the result of a technical attack made on the petition by B. H. Marbury, representing a few persons who are opposed to the incorporation movement.

The objection to the petition, as stated to the court when the papers were originally filed, was that the meets and bounds of the territory, within the proposed corporate limits were not properly described in the leaflets or sub-petitions circulated. Rather than take a chance of Mr. Marbury's contention being upheld by the courts, the petitioners decided that quicker action could be obtained by withdrawing the old petition and circulating a new one. Work on the new petition is already underway and will be ready for circulation within a few days. It is expected to have the new petition ready to be passed on by the county court at the August term.

The St. Louis Smelting & Refining Company has also given notice that it will fight the incorporation on account of the fact that the proposed corporate limits invades the sacred precincts of some houses they own west of the St. Francois depot. So far as this objection is concerned, we believe the easiest way to overcome it, would be to lop these houses off the proposed corporate limits and change the line so that it will run straight across at the overhead railroad bridge close to the Browne Dry Goods Company store instead of going north above the St. Francois depot and taking in the houses to which the company objects to being included. This small group of houses are not of sufficient importance to the incorporation movement to make a fight over.

That the people of Flat River are in real earnest and propose to push the incorporation to a successful conclusion regardless of whatever fights may be waged against it was demonstrated Tuesday when in less than two hours a committee raised $127 by voluntary subscription to defray the expenses attendant on the fight that has been started against it.

Conditions in Flat River are a reproach to the community and without organization no remedy can be applied. At night Flat River is the favorite rendezvous for all the loose characters in the district. Whenever a "drunk" takes a notion to "take" the town or make the night or day either, for that matter, hideous, he goes ahead and indulges his inclination to disturb the peace, with supreme confidence in the fact that he will not be molested. When a jitney driver takes a notion to drive his car at the extreme limit of its speed down a crowded street and thus endanger the lives of any person who might happen to cross his path he does so without the least fear of prosecution.

The alleys and streets are the dumping ground for refuse of all kinds which breeds flies and disease. As a result of this Flat River is seldom, if ever, free from contagious diseases. Our only source of water supply is from cisterns. The streams are so polluted with slime from the lead mills that they are unfit to be used for laundry purposes, to say nothing of being used by human consumption. It is a safe bet that if the water in nine out of ten cisterns were subjected to a chemical analysis they would be pronounced as unfit for use. And still there are some people who, by their opposition to the incorporation movement which would result in remedying this deplorable state of affairs, declare themselves as satisfied with these conditions.

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, July 13, 1917.

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