. Cyclopedia of American government . ordinances. While in somerespects there was some slight progress fromthe confusion that had resulted from the tinker-ing process toward a more orderly arrangementof the frame of government, nevertheless, gen-erally speaking, the problem grew worse ratherthan better, and a public movement was inau-gurated which grew in force and strength, re-sulting in the passage of the Act of 1885,known as the Bullit Bill. Bullitt Bill.—This act went into effect onApril 1, 1887, and introduced in place of acomplicated series of laws and shreds of lawa simplified system of
. Cyclopedia of American government . ordinances. While in somerespects there was some slight progress fromthe confusion that had resulted from the tinker-ing process toward a more orderly arrangementof the frame of government, nevertheless, gen-erally speaking, the problem grew worse ratherthan better, and a public movement was inau-gurated which grew in force and strength, re-sulting in the passage of the Act of 1885,known as the Bullit Bill. Bullitt Bill.—This act went into effect onApril 1, 1887, and introduced in place of acomplicated series of laws and shreds of lawa simplified system of responsible governmentwhich forced a complete readjustment of thecitys affairs. It made the mayor the chiefexecutive officer, clothing him with ample pow-er to that end, and the councils (the twobranches, select and common, being retained)the legislative branch of the government. Thecity is still governed under the Bullitt Act(1913), the amendments to it being few andunimportant, except as hereinafter pointed out 676 PHILADELPHIA. Boundaries of the City op Philadelphia, Showing Territorial Changes in connection with the organization of depart-ments. In 1905 the legislature sought tochange the theory of the government uponwhich the bill was drawn by placing the selec-tion of the directors of public works and safetyin the hands of the councils. It actuallypassed the bill, but before it became operativethe governor called a special session of thelegislature in response to the public sentimentstrongly expressed at the polls at the Novem-ber, 1905, election, and the measure was re-pealed. The Mayor.—In its main features and gen-eral theory the present charter represents thepopular desire for a strong mayor. As amatter of fact, the Philadelphia plan of mu-nicipal government represents the most com-plete and effective embodiment of the all pow- erful mayor idea in any American city at thepresent day. Elected by popular vote for aperiod of four years, and clothed with adequateresp
Size: 1495px × 1672px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublishernewyorkandlondonda
