The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-18
rHE TEXAS IDEA.
Success d Munioipai Govern nent by Gem.
mission 40 Tried in the Lone star state.

| UVVU049 " MuulO1pBi OVNCIu Vcut W WIZ
mission ~ Tried in the Lone Star state.
To THE EDITOR OF The suN-sW: The
removal from ofaoe last week by legislation
Of the whole city government OF one OF the
| largest cities OF Texas indicates that the
movement for abollshing the old methods
Of municipal machinery and the substitu-
ton Of board Of business commissioners 10
likely To extend TO all Texas cities and beyond
the boundaries Of the State.
| Tho city Of Houston, with It's 7s, 900 popula-
tion. adopted By o large majority vote the
new charter. which abolished the old system
Of twelve Councilman elected by wards. and
In their place were sworn In a Mayor and
four Aldermen at Large to constitute the COM
mission that for the next two years will
manage the Affairs Of that growing city.
The Mayor elected was Col H. B. Rice. nephew
and administrator Of tho estate Of William
NJ. Rice Of New York. for whose murder
Attorney Patrick Is now awaiting execution
at Sing Sing.
Tho four Aldermen elected are James Apple
by, j. d. CASTOR. j. B. Marmion and James
Thompson, all business men of Houston.
This was done by the voters Of the city last
| week against tho protest illegal and other
wisc) OF majority Of the twelve Councilmen
elected by wards to run the city government
on the old plan, who strenuously objected
TO being "pried loose from the perauisites.
| why tnis dclion Dy tne VoteIs VI Itou beoh'
and why ls the city Of Dallas about TO adopt
the same plan of city government. with Forv
Worth. San Antonio and Waco seriously con-
sidering the same change? No such radical
change should be made Oh theory advanced
| without present practical example OF it's
tested workings.
The State Of Texas has before II this test
made for four years by the city of Galveston
In being governed during that time by q
| city m and tho ahaenCe dur
that time OF ring rule or suggestion OF cor
| rupton. political bias or extravaganza OF
| any character. II was the object lesson OF the
State brought about by what was considered
the browning catastrophe Of the decade.
September 8, 1900, hurricane swept over
the island Of Galveston for the first time in the
| memory Of man, destroying In one night 800
Of her Inhabitants and more than $1,000 900
Of property. including more than 1000 homes
demolished or washed away by the floods.
| In this emergency the commission idea"
was born. BY hurried petition, the Gov
| ernor was asked to appoint at once commits
sion to govern the city. Gov. Sayers appointed
Judge William A. Austin Mayor, and H. G.
Lang. d. e. Austin, /. II. Kempner and A. A.
Norman Commissioners to govern the city.
These business men have 80 ably managed
| the city's affairs that Galveston is to-day
| recognized all over the Union as probably the
best governed municipality. possibly excepting
| Washington.
The credit Of the city was gone until she
could demonstrate TO the world ability to
pay. dollar for dollar, her Indebtedness and
not default on the interest. This Galveston
has done. and May 5, 1905. the Commission
Idea" was most emphatically Endorsed by
| the voters of Galveston in the reelection by
almost unanimous vote OF the same five bust
ness men to continue the work for the city
that has already given it SO mucn pres
tise Throughout the union , In that th time the
the city so raised that no storm could again
seriously damage the city.
cost OF al oIt 81, 500 600 much of it raised on
their own bonds taken by themselves. for
after the storm the bonds OF Galveston city
In addition this commission has paid an
Indebtedness Of s2o@,iI4, incurred by the
oSn e9Ts the o
cash basis. paved with brick almost the entire
business portion of the city. made its obi,
This without the issue Of a bond or any in
crease IN the taxation In f.ae ct the the tax axle levy
tSe ssoTm on on than
All this time the officers and employees of
the city. have been paid in cash, though the
was in 1900. and an additional tax is paid of 40
cents on the 500 for grade raising bonds. -,
hX Is tHi b th The c s1er
this commission and familiar with their man
| ner OF doing the business Of the city. These
week at Q O'Clock Judge, Austin Is in the
chair. Carefully and in businesslike man
ner each item Of the city's business is con.
| sidered and voted on calmly. with no haste or
partizln zeal. no politics or ward lines.
More actual work is accomplished in an
the average Ct y Council in half day, as
oality is not considered. and each com
mttee Is ready to report promptly: these I'VE
| vote and decide its future az would the five
directors Of bank or mercantile corporation
for the good only OF the bank h or Tm
sta 60 in Galveston. For more than four years
the people Of Te5as have been watching the the
has lust relocated the old method of ward
politics to the and ye her sa,
s setting nsp in line. 4fhe oemmission idss is
what the people gant and are going to have
Under the old system; locality is everything.
The general good is RELOCATED to the rear or n
hdf % S sn, s ss aah e ne ssy Of sss
Eion q FUNDS sSd the Tx; VIZ W Saslness
by corrupt combinations for individual profit
instead OF the public good. is now being ear
nestly asked by business men men and the average 1
In the .avera ge City Council each member
sHpeetsd to reach for eyer%thins in sight
from the city treasury to benefit that ward.
not the city at large. II there are eight wards
he is expected by his neighbors who elected
ceeds of any bond sale. large or small. regard
less Of the needs of the city as whole. To
accomplish this. In the average. Council, 1t
members ia the agreement you help me and
], will help, YOU. and with the result that
individual interests take their place:
Texas tseven times larger than the AVERAGE
Of her sister States) has taken the lead in
| this forward movement for civic reform.
Galveston, storm swept and wrecked as
| the world said Ave years ago, has arisen again
| to wealth, power and prosperity. But why
should other cities wait as did Galveston.
till compelled by desperate calamity to adopt
business methods? That CITY by the Sea "
ernment by commission" and after four
| years OF successful administration sees II
being adopted in the State as it will be In the
| nation. w. b, SLossoN.