The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-01
NO QUIBBLE THERE
observations on the Galveston
Plan of Running a City.
When Commissioner Puts Foot
Down That Settles 1t.
IN THEREGULARLINES
People Not Permitted to En-
crOach on Public Rights.
Council Meetings Where There
Is No OratOry.

The private citizen who wants to do
business at the expense of the city is
handed a big lemon by the commits
sion at Galveston. says ex-M Mayor Ber-
gundthaI
Il was in the office of one of the
| commissioners when a man came in
said the ex-mayor. He had a buggy
that he wanted to sell. He wanted to
put L sign on it, For Sale and place
1t out on a. sidewalk. The commits
sioner said that it would be impossible
70 grant the request. The man told
him that he only wanted a small space
on the sidewalk and that he didn't
nave any other room. Can't do it,
said the commissioner. We can't let
you exploit your business at the ex-
pense of the citizens of the town. The
sidewalks were made to use by the
citizens and not for business. If you
haven't any room go and rent some.
That was all there was to it asked
the commissioner if there wasn't any
thing else to be done. Not another
thing, he said. There is no running
around to see the other councilmen
and getting them to get something for
you that you ought not to have.
Il had a talk with the superintend-
ent OF the street railway company. He
said that he liked the commissioner
system much the better. He could al
In a very few minutes. If he wanted
some concessions he found out wheth-
er he could get them in q very few
minutes. If it was no that was the
end of It. On the other hand if the
commission made some request on
him that certain tracks or right Of
way needed repairing he knew that he
must do 1t and there was no monkey
ing about 1t. No fooling around with
twelve councilnen, but straight BUSH
ness.
AT Galveston and at Houston we
were told that five would be the best
number for the commission. Make it
three and you couldn't get anybody to
serve, there would be too much to do.
They have five men both at Galveston
and Houston. At Houston the men
give all their time to it and the four
members of the commission who are
at the heads of departments get So
400 year and the mayor gets $4,000
At Galveston the four get $1,000
apiece and the president of the COM
mission gets 81. 900. But here the only
member who gives it his whole time is
the president. Three of the commits
sion are wealthy business men Of the
city. They put in extra time on the
citys busin ess- They don't have any
regular office hours and If you want to
see them you have to go to their Of
fee in their respective. places Of bust.
ness The only exception to this is the
mayor or president and the commits
.sfoner at the head of the police de-
partment.
1T works like a. charm. At Calves
ton it has been in operation for five
years. They wouldn't think of going
back to the old system They hold
what corresponds to our council meet
ing once each week and they are open
to the public. But there is no oratory
Every thing has to be presented in
writing. They won't pay any attention
to you If you try to make a speech.
Inc council meetings never last longer
than thirty minutes. The heads of the
various city departments are nomin-
ated by the various commissioners at
the head of each department.. The
nominations are acted upon by the
commission.
The employees of the departments are
then appointed by the commissioner. and
the head of his department. The result
is that each department is responsible
to one commissioner, and he in turn Is
responsible for the condition of his de-
partment."
At Houston the president or mayor of
the commission has more power than at
Galveston. he is given the prerogative
Of veto and makes most of the appoint
ments to the city jobs. The political
feature creeps in more largely and the
results are not as good seemingly as
those at Galveston.
The school board is not run by the
commission" said Mr.. Dreaming On
stead they have smaller number Of
members of the school board About
five elected from the city at large com
pose the board 1 don't believe that we
could run the board under the commits
sion, but I would advise that the num-
Der be cut down. We spent three DAYS
in each city and interviewed business
men up and down the streets. We didn't
fish once while we were there. though we
were surrounded by water on all sides.
Several different methods were used
to elect councilmen in an attempt to
get out of the difficulties and the faults
of the councilmanic sustem,'' said Mr..
Dreaming.
''Thev tried electing a part Of the
councilmen at large and the others
from wards. Twelve councilmen were
elected from wards and four at large
That didn't work Then they elected
all of them from the wards; that Of
course didn't improve it any.
''They tried electing them from the
city at large exclusively and no ward
lines were recognized, but this wasn't
any better either. The trouble all the
time was that there was too much di-
vision of authority. Too many men to