THE BONDAGE OF CITIES - The Community Environmental Legal ...

430 THE BONDAGE OF CITIESto own and operate local business enterprises. A considerablemovement has taken place in this direction in the last fewyears, but it often requires a hard fight to pass such bills, andthey are apt to be narrowed in scope, and their usefulness impairedby amendments and limitations introduced by corporateinfluence. Moreover, they are subject to legislative alterationor repeal.In spite of all their imperfections, however,,they are very important aids while on the way to solid constitutionalmeasures, and the growth of public sentiment aroundthem gives them, in the course of time, a practical stabilitymuch greater than that which they possess theoretically.The following tables with their explanations afford an indicationof the present condition of municipalthe most important lines:law on some ofIn examining the tables it must be remembered that thefiner shades of legislation are not indicated in them. Thecrosses in each column represent general legislation of somesort in reference to the subject stated at the head of the column.But the cross opposite Missouri, for example, in agiven column may represent a very differentlaw from thatrepresented by another cross in the same column oppositeIdaho or California. Under special legislation the provisionsare for the most part quite similar down* the whole length ofeach column, the wording in many cases being identical; yeteven here there are some differences, especially in column B(see below). It is in columns A, K and L, however, that thewidest variations occur.I. Constitutional provisions requiring the local selectionof local officers are of great importance. In Massachusetts.Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, etc., a few county officersmust be locally chosen. In Ohio, Georgia, etc., countyofficers, in general, are to be elected by the people of thecounty. In Minnesota, county and township officers are to belocally elected. In Kansas, township officers, and in Kentucky,county and district officers, mayor and council andpolice judges in towns and cities must be locally elected. InNew York the constitution provides that municipal officersshall be elected by the electors of the municipality, or ap-