management in the counties of Iowa that Governor Clarke in 1913 favored the creation of the office of County Manager, and that a bill was introduced into the State Senate to provide for a board of three county supervisors, elected at large for a term of four years, who were to devote their entire time to the affairs of the county. The bill, however, failed to become law.89

California was a pioneer in extending the right of limited home rule to counties. By the terms of a constitutional amendment adopted in 1910 the people of a county may by a majority vote decide in favor of the short ballot principle in county government. Los Angeles County was the first to take advantage of the law. Its home rule charter provides for a board of five supervisors, a sheriff, a district attorney, and an assessor - all elected for four-year terms. By a system of rotation, however, not more than three officers are elected at any one election. Except that positions in the classified service shall be filled according to civil service rules, the board of supervisors as the responsible governing body of the county has the power to appoint an auditor, board of education, board of law library trustees, civil service commission, coroner, county clerk, county counsel, fish and game warden, health officer, horticultural commissioner, live stock inspector, probation committee, probation officer, public administrator, public defender, purchasing agent, recorder, registrar of voters, road commissioner, superintendent of charities, superintendent of schools, surveyor, tax collector, and treasurer. Officials later provided by law are also to be appointive. Moreover, all county officials, elective or appointive, are subject to the recall.90

A somewhat different proposal calls for three super

visors elected at large, a county judge, and a district attorney. The board of supervisors shall appoint a county manager who shall in turn appoint the sheriff, county clerk, county treasurer, superintendent of the poor, and a medical examiner. The Oregon plan is the same except for the requirement that the Governor shall appoint the sheriff and the district attorney in each county.91

The Municipal Association of Cleveland favors the appointment of the clerks of courts and the sheriffs by the courts. In order to shorten the ballot and increase the dignity and importance of the county board it would have the board appoint the county treasurer, recorder, and surveyor, and transfer the necessary duties of the coroner's office to the sheriff. This plan would leave a ballot of five names: three commissioners, an auditor, and a prosecuting attorney.92 Another plan provides for the appointment of a clerk, recorder, coroner, county superintendent of schools, and assessor by the president of the county board from the civil service list. The treasurer and the State's attorney are to be appointed by the president of the county board alone or with the consent of the other board members. With a greater centralization of the judiciary, however, the appointment of the State's attorney by the Attorney General is deemed better still.93

Another short ballot plan is based on the distinction between the State and the purely local functions of the county. Thus the Governor would appoint district judges, who in turn would appoint the clerks for their respective courts. The Attorney General would select the sheriff and the county attorney, while the coroner would become a medical subordinate in the county attorney's office. As officers for local functions there would be

a county manager appointed by the board of supervisors; and since the voters generally take little interest in the county board, the members should be appointed by the town governments or perhaps made up of the mayors in the county. All other county officers would obtain their positions on a civil service examination basis.94

TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS

On account of the seeming unimportance of township government little attention has been given it. The excessive number of elective township officers compared to the size of the political area has been pointed out: the number could be well reduced in the interest of economy and efficiency. Others, however, believe that the length of the ballot is not in itself a serious obstacle to popular government in small communities since the voters, as a rule, are acquainted with the candidates. Still other short ballot advocates suggest that only township trustees should be elected.95

MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

The need of reform in municipal government appeared at an earlier date than in other areas of local government. The short ballot principle of the federal plan of city government has proven popular. The commission plan method of selecting city officials has spread throughout the nation. Another scheme much favored at the present time is the so-called city manager plan already adopted by a dozen or more American cities. The city council elected at large appoints or hires the city manager, who then directs all city departments except the schools and the courts. A single-headed administration is thus established instead of the five- or three-headed system of the commission plan.96

Three Iowa municipalities have recently adopted a modified form of the city manager plan. At Clarinda and Chariton the council selected a city clerk and delegated to him the business of directing the administration of municipal affairs. At Iowa Falls the office of street commissioner was abolished and its duties assigned to the city clerk who was also given the power to purchase all supplies for the city and superintend the city water-works.97

V

STANDARDS OF REFORM IN THE SELECTION OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS

THE reasoning of students who assert that democracy and efficiency are incompatible and that the people can not have both is fallacious. Democracy means government by and for the people. A government is not by the people if voters blindly follow the advice of others in casting their ballots at elections or if they are disappointed in the officials selected. A government is not for the people if public officials make and enforce unpopular laws. It is but a sham democracy if inefficiency and corruption exist in connection with the building of bridges and public buildings; it is "unpopular" government if laws regulating railroads are not enforced or if they are enforced so as to favor the railroads. Government is democratic so long as the people cast their own ballots and choose their own officials: it is democratic and efficient when the people control all their officials in such a way as to obtain the best public service.

Accordingly, reforms which aim to simplify the machinery of government so that the people may hold their public servants responsible are steps toward a real democracy. Any change which will make it possible to obtain the expression of the popular will and cause public officials to become more sensitive to public opinion is in accord with democratic principles.