New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-08
SPREAD or THE GALVESTON PLAN.


THIS wFyled Galveston plan Of municipal
gOverIKzzG9 is making rapid progress IN this
country. A few days ago the Legislature OF
Iowa passed a bin permitting the larger cities
Of that state to -eorganize their governments
after the Texas model. Kansas and South
Dakota also have recently passed similar laws.
Memphis is now planning 10 obtain a new
charter providing for government Ike Gal
restOn's, and we believe other Southern cities
Rre discussing The desirability Of adopting the
idea. There is almost q rush to try the new
system, which has worked so well in Galveston
and Houston.
Galveston's government would be essentially
like that Of a business corporation with presi-
dent and board Of directors, IL corporation d.
rectors were salaried officers and devoted all
their time to the affairs Of the corporation.
Galveston is ruled by a commission consisting
of mayor and four commissioners, much as if
ln this city should do away with the Board
Of Aldermen and other elective officials and set
up the Board OF Estimate and AppOrtionment
as the city government. The commission took
hold Of Galveston Just after the food, and was
remarkably successful IN re-estabushing the
city. Houston had an inefficient government Of
the usual sort, aud suffered from neglect, waste
and dishonesty. The floating debt was 100000.
In a few years the commission retired the debt
water supply, ana while doing all this reduced
the tax rate.
In the comparatively small cities in which
the system has been tried the mayor and CON-
missiOners each act as heads Of departments.
the mayor, for instance. as head OF the police
and FIRE departments, the other departments
being assigned by vote OF the majority OF the
board to the other commissioners. The COM
mission acts as the city legislature the mayor
having no veto power. Subordinate city officials.
like city clerk attorney, treasurer auditor, en-
gineer, police judges are appointed 10y the board.
The obvious advantage OF the plan is great cen
fr0liZ9tiOn of authority. For instance, no such
confusion could exist as exists in this city re
garding responsibility for the shocking condition
OF the street pavements. The whole board
would be responsible, and particularly the in-
divldual commissioner in whose special charge
the maintenance OF the streets had been placed.
The. Iowa plan, in which Des Afoines espe-
cially is interested, provides for holding the
commissioners sharply 70 their responsibility. II
permits the 'recall'' That Is II a commissioner
work Is not satisfactory, the people can vote
him out Of Office before his term expires There
are also the initiative and the referendum. SO
that the people can give their municipal com
mission instructions whenever they like. 'aThe
Des MoiRes Register says: "The city that
''solves the problem OF good government will b.
as notable in the New World as Athens was in
'the ancient world." We agree with IL. and ara
quite willing that Des Moines should achieve sucI
distinction, though there is no assurance that
the commission system viii prove the solution
Its success IN the Texas cities, however, leads
us 20 watch its progress with interest But In,
real solution lies not IA a system but in II,
people themselves. II the people of a city arr
earnest enough IN wanting It 70 be well gov