ng of any contract shall remain on file for
public inspection at least one week before final passage. Franchises
are granted not by any legislative body but by direct vote of the
people. Similarly the citizens retain the right to reject any
ordinance passed, or to require the passage of any needed
ordinance. And finally, the citizens by direct vote may remove any
commissioner at any time.

Thus we see that the commissioners know both the legislative and
administrative side of the city's work, and the responsibility of
doing both is fixed upon them.

Lastly, Honorable Judges, the Affirmative rest their cases upon
these fundamental arguments: that the whole tendency in American
city government is toward centralization of power in one body; where
this concentration has been partial, city government has failed.
This failure is due largely to the fact that, while power has
centered, responsibility has been diffused. This unfortunate
condition has been obviated by the adoption of the commission form
which is found to be a success because it awakens civic interest,
secures competent officials, and provides in the best possible
manner for the legislative and administrative work of the city,
centering power and responsibility in one small body of men.

APPENDIX IV

MATERIAL FOR BRIEFING

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

SPEECH OF HON. CHARLES F. SCOTT, OF KANSAS, IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1911

(The House having under consideration the bill [S. 7031] to codify,
revise, and amend the laws relating to the judiciary.--From the
_Congressional Record_, March 3, 1911.)

_Mr. Speaker_: In the ten years of my membership in this House I have
seldom taken advantage of the latitude afforded by general debate to
discuss any question not immediately before the House. But there is a
question now before the country, particularly before the people of the
state I have the honor to represent in part upon this floor, upon
which I entertain very positive convictions, and which, I believe, is
a proper subject for discussion at this time and in this place. That
question, bluntly stated, is this: Is representative government a
failure? We are being asked now to answer that question in the
affirmative. A new school of statesmen has arisen, wiser than
Washington and Hamilton and Franklin and Madison, wiser than Webster
and Clay and Calh