The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-27
DEFENCE OF THE COMMISSIONS.
Tx-MayOr Myers Defends His Action
In Connection With Them.


YOUR valued columns on the 21st instant,
has resulted in bringing the subject TO
Drblic. attention at a time when the calm
er Judgment of those more interested in
municipal progress than in factonal ad-
,9ncement can be invoked with the hope
Of thoughtful and conservative considera-
ron. Conceding that there may be, and
are honest differences of opinion regard
ing the retention of the commissions, 1
nave chosen that best forum, the public
prints. to discuss the subject, and as one
fully realizing their improvement over
former and Anticipated methods, felt it
.iuty as il is to me pleasure, to express
NV views frankly and over my own name.
| can the more freely address myself to
this self-appointed work, as l am not an
aspirant for official favors at the hands
of my fellow citizens, nor would l accept
them if rendered. Once honored by the
mavoralty by them, l have no further am
bition in that direction. I sought TO de-
serve that honor and merit the future good
win and respect of my fellow citizens in
an honest endeavor to discharge the du-
ties of the position with view of system
atising the workings of the various depart
ments so that while expenses might be
curtailed there would be no retarding of
the material progress of public improve
ments.
The growth of Savannah in area and
population requires that We should not fail
TO avail ourselves of commissions, or mu-
nicipal boards, whose members, with long
service familiarizing themselves more
thoroughly with the needs of their sew
eral departments, are better enabled to
carry out systematic plans more intelli-
gently, schooled by ripening experience and
not embarrassed by the caprice or parti-
sanship of factions after the inductiOns
of new administrations succeeding each
municipal election. In other words, 70
quote from your editorial of the 18th in
slant "a uniform plan of Improvement
a plan that must be worked out through a
series of years. No such plan is posi-
BILE without a commission" While it Is
true that you did not apply this logical
reasoning to all the commissions (but only
10 one, it is nevertheless. sound doctrine
and justly applicable TO all
1t is not theory-the large cities of the
north and many cities of approximate pop
ulation TO Savannah have provided such
boards, or commissions, and their eff
cheney has been so pronounced that we
are fully justified in modelling LATTER the
practical experiences of those cities, where
any proposition looking to the old order
of things would be met with Indignation
and vigorously antagonized by taxpayers.
But even here there must be some virtue
in these commissions, for you have been
not only a felicitous champion of the park
and tree commission, but you express a
desire editorially, for the creation of a
commission that shall not only take charge
of all the public works of the city, but all
the public works of the county.
You go further in the
advocacy of commissions than I, when
you would subordinate the board of coun-
n a 1TtoiS
sion without even the saving clause that it
shall be non-factional AS the county COM
missioners are composed of citizens of Sa-
Vannah, successful men of business and
standing high in the community, it can
not be the Objectionable personnel of the
county board nor any challenge of their
interest in the public works of the county,
but a confession of the efficiency of boards
composed of those who can give a larger
portion of their time and supervision TO
public affairs.
You assert that the people did not ask
for the commissions, were not consulted
in respect to them. Proposed legislation
is never sought without observing .preserlp-
ed methods before the Introduction of a
measure These provisions were certain
ly complied with in the legislation under
review. If the Morning News opposed the
measures, or if, as you assert in your edi-
torial of the 18th instant, "the commissions
portion of the people," it is strange that
this opposition contented itself with being
"apathetic."
1t would seem, however that the per-
sonnet of the commissioners rather than
the commissions themselves, are in disfa-
vor with some, and as there is no present
way of being rid of the members collec-
lively, the abolition of the commissions
as a whole is being advocated as the sur
est way to be rid of those who are now in
office.
1 do not ask you to name ''some of the
men appointed who are in no respect en-
titled to preferment," but to be forceful
as an assertion with a view of fairly di-
recting or moulding public sentiment-the
province of the editorial department of
newspaper, as believe it to be generally
regarded-might you not with a degree of
reasonable propriety have let your readers
know, or yet inform them, who are the in
divdual commissioners Objectionable, and
why they were in no respect entitled TO
preferment?' While it is true
that they were each and
all appointed by me, although
in some instances upon the recommended
ton of aldermen and friends, a custom
that has obtained in all executive depart
ments from the federal to municipal ad-
ministratons, it is certainly the province
Of the public press when it would criti-
cize, to individualize rather than to gener-
alize, if it would escape the suspicion of
being hypercritical.
If the opposition were given slight rec
osnition," is that different from past adj
Illustrations? The present administra-
ter? Or will it be different from
future administrations? Are we to infer,
then, that if 'partisans of another faction
had been chosen the opposition would
have been converts to commissioner"
and does it come with good grace from the
faction now in municipal control, TO in
Weigh against the partisanship of its pre-
decessor, when it's own succession was the
signal for wholesale official decapitation,
not even sparing the gray-haired
messenger of council, whom it discharged,
strictly combining itself to providing for
'partisans of one faction" even slight
recognition" not being chargeable to it's
credit. To thoughtful, conservative ciu-
zens this should be a potent argument for
the retention of the commissions, putting
II beyond the-p power of any dominant fac
uon TO make them creatures of partisan
dictaton, but, as now, subject only to one
appointment every two years, to fill the
place of a retiring commissioner.
Inc commissions have not been reject
ed by the tax-DaVare nor do the latter