New-York tribune., 1907-09-20
MUNICIPAL GOVERNING.
Different Methods Contrasted by
Speakers at Norfolk.

Norfolk. Va. Sept 19-To-day's sessions Of the
eleventh annual convention Of the American League
Of municipalities were devoted almost exclusively
to the discussion of municipal government by
commission, versus mayor and council" An ad-
dress was made by Rear Admiral French E Chad
wick L. S. N. Of Newport. R. 7, who contrasted
American municipal government with that abroad
and took a decided stand against government by
commission. He said in part:
After such study I have been able to give
cause of failure is in placing city admnistra-
edge and experience. in the hands Of haphazard.
short term men A mayor with us is the acciGen.
of a dGy; the same may be said of all the rest
Germany recognized in the greatest degree the
business aspect Of municipal administration and
1t is Germany that we must go to find its high
is a mayor by profession, highly trained and ex-
perienced city administrator He may 5e called.
II he acquires reputation, from city TO city
Taking for his subject Municipal Government
by Board or Commission Mayor and City Coun-
cil' former Mayor ]. NJ. Head. Of Nashville. Tenn.
said that no matter what the form OF city gov
ernment may be. its efficiency will be determined
very largely by those intrusted with its admins
tration All that any of hope 10 do is TO
approximate the ideal as near as possible Win
the material we have to deal with"
William II. Allen, secretary of the bureau OF
municipal research. New York City, declared that
the cities of the United States debt Of graft
tude to Galveston and Des Moines for having
caused the country to consider seriously the de-
fects of existing city charters He continued:
But it should not be forgotten that the advo-
cates of government by commission nave hereJo-
fore failed recognize three fundamental 1aclS-
~ Nisgovernment in a democracy IS due primarily
to ignorance on the part OF the genera p12C 1I d
10 of1cial acts and community needs ~ M-S6CN-
ernment by commission is possible because Jie
cooroissfOn plan Of itself does not insure lJeill-
eence on the part of the general public as 10 gov
ernuent results and community needs 10 nun
dras af communities in the United States, includ-
ing New york City. are now being misgoverned oy
commissions rY.a,4h co-,-
PhiIadelphia once had a Board Of Health COM COM
oosed OF butcher. a superannuaJed minister az
an undertaken Their administration could iiol
have been worse If there had been thirty OF ILtc
kind rather than three: il would not nave DeeI-
arv better If any one of the three had been given
sole responsibility. Guliver would have Deen heLF
less if bound by five giants. instead OF nuIle ~
rygnies Ignorance is less dangerous because
Concentrated. That intelligent few can TnlSSos-
e~7 is shown hv +he Republican machines OF Penn
svlvania and New York and the DeTnocratlc ma
of these machines or commissions are hi6ily "
telIigent vet their followers are blind ana tleT
form of government undemocrauc-
In the absence OF Commissioner West. Of the Dis
1rfct Of Columbia, his address favoring comms-
sion government was presented 10 the convention
nv the secretary. Addresses also were made Dy
MAYORS w D Harris OF Fort Worth, Tex. ana
Emerson Coatesworth OF Toronto. Canada. who ad-
vocated government by commission; Mayor r. g.
Rbett of Charleston. 5. c.. who opposed il; John
r Davies chairman Of the finance committee,
Board OF Aldermen. New York. and Hugo >
Crosse. city statitician, Chicago