The General Plan of City Government.—­The general framework of city government is not very different from that of the other governmental divisions.  There are the legislative, executive, and judicial departments, whose organization and functions are stated in the charter, or fundamental law of the city.  The city legislature is the council or board of aldermen.  In most cases this body is a single house, though in some cities there are two houses.  The members are elected from the wards into which the city is divided.  The council may pass ordinances for the government of the city, but it is limited in the extent of its powers by the terms of the city charter.

City Charters Granted by Legislatures.—­The source of the charter is the State legislature.  In most States the constitution provides that the legislature shall pass general laws prescribing the framework of all cities, or of the classes into which the cities of a State may be divided, according to their population.  These laws also contain regulations that are safeguards against the abuses of municipal government, such as heavy taxation and the accumulation of debts.  The requirement of general laws secures uniformity in the most important features of city government, and it prevents the practice, which is otherwise liable to prevail, of constant interference by State legislatures in the affairs of certain cities.  Such special laws should be enacted with great caution, if at all; for when a legislature regulates the affairs of a particular city, it too often does so at the request of persons or corporations having advantages to gain at the expense of the public.[3]

[Footnote 3:  In some States where the constitutions require general laws applying to classes of cities, single cities have been put in classes by themselves; so the legislature has virtually governed them by special laws.]

The Mayor.—­The chief executive of the city is the mayor.  He is the head of the police department and has more or less authority over the other administrative departments to be discussed later in this chapter.  In the cases of both mayor and aldermen, the facts concerning their terms, salaries, and other details vary so greatly in different cities that no general description is possible.

The city judiciary includes the ordinary State courts and also special or municipal courts of various degrees.

Other City Officials.—­Besides the officers enumerated, every city has its clerk, treasurer, attorney, and assessors.  The auditor, or comptroller, is an important official who controls city finances.

Administrative Departments.—­The greatest difficulties of city government arise in connection with the numerous administrative departments; these are quite complex in their operation.  In large cities the number of officials and the variety of their duties render it almost impossible for the average citizen to become informed concerning these affairs; consequently, opportunities for fraud and mismanagement occur frequently.