The Mayor is the chief executive officer and head of the police of the city.  By and with the consent of the council, he appoints a chief of police and other police officers and watchmen.  In case of disturbance he may appoint as many special constables as he may think necessary, and he may discharge them whenever he thinks their services no longer needed.

The City Council consists of the aldermen. [Footnote:  In some states the city council consists of two bodies.] It is the judge of the election of its own members.  A majority of the members elected constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

The council chooses its own president and vice-president.  In case the mayor is absent from the city or for any reason is temporarily unable to act, the president of the council acts as mayor, with the title Acting Mayor.

Passing Ordinances.—­The mode of passing an ordinance is unlike anything that we have considered up to this time, and deserves special attention on account of its resemblance to the mode of making laws in the state and general governments.  It is as follows.  If a proposed ordinance is voted for by a majority of the members of the council present at any meeting, it is presented to the mayor.  If he approves it, he signs it, and it becomes an ordinance.  But if he does not approve it, he returns it, through the recorder, to the council, together with his objections. [Footnote:  This is called vetoing it, from a Latin word veto, meaning I forbid.]The council, then reconsiders the proposed ordinance in the light of the mayor’s objections.  If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the members elected vote for it, it becomes an ordinance, just as if approved by the mayor.  “If an ordinance or resolution shall not be returned by the mayor within five days, Sundays excepted, after it shall have been presented to him,” it shall have the same effect as if approved by him.

Publication of Ordinances.—­The ordinances and by-laws of the council are published in a newspaper of the city, selected by the council as the official means of publication, and are posted in three conspicuous places in each ward for two weeks, before they become operative.

Council Powers.—­The city council has about the same powers as a village council in regard to streets, the prevention and extinguishment of fires, etc.—­the same in kind but somewhat more extensive.  But it can also levy taxes for public purposes, as has before been said.  It usually elects the assessor, the city attorney, the street commissioner, and a city surveyor, and in some states other officers.

The recorder, treasurer, assessor, justices of the peace, and police constables, have duties similar to those of the corresponding officers in a village or a town.

Some Pertinent Questions.

If two persons should claim the same seat in the city council, who would decide the matter?