The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-02
GOVERNMENT by COMMISSION.


The Galveston plan OF municipal gov
ernment is intelligently outlined in
4 the Baltimore Sun by Mr. John p. Hill.
of that city. who has just returned
from Southern trip
The affairs of the city are managed
by commission of five. elected at
large from the whole city The chair
man. or president, us he Is
power. Besides him are the commits
sioner of revenue and finance. the COM
missioner of water works and sewer
age, the commissioner of police and
electric light and public property.
These men have absolute power over
their own departments, and are re-
spcnsible for it's management They
hire and discharge the employees Of
their departments, just as the manager
OF a private corporation would do.
In addition to the commissioners
there are the usual officials found In
other cities-treasurer auditor, city at
torney, assessor. collector, engineer
health officer. superintendent of water
works, chief of fire department, chief
OF police, and so on.
The commissioners do not devote all
their time to the city government, and
they receive only tho nominal sum OF
$1,000 q year each as compensation.
The great success of the government
is due to the character of the COM
mission. and to the system by which
they are free to manage their own de-
partments precisely as they would
their own business. They have full
power, but are responsible to the pub
lie for the manner in which they exer-
else it.
Mr.. Hill says that there is universal
satisfaction with the system, and that
the work of the commission has been
eminently successful. Before the storm
Galveston was governed by a Mayor
and twelve Aldermen, and in spite of
the fact that there were some good
and unbusinesslike methods had put
the financial affairs of the city into an
almost bankrupt state.
The current expenses OF the city ex-
the time of the storm the bonded in
debtedness amounted to more than
$2,750,O0O, with no apparent benefit in
the way of public improvements, ex-
cept few strips OF dilapidated wooden
block pavements. Since it's assump-
ton of control the commission has paid
off in settlement of old claims and in
permanent improvements nearly $780,
600, besides defraying the fixed ex-
penses of the city government on
cash basis.
All this has been done without Dor
rowing, issuing bonds, or increasing
the rate Of taxation. although the tax
able values were reduced 20 per cent.
by the storm. The city owns its water
plant and sewerage system. for which
special bonds were issued. and the
income lllcItAIoIlt lioS o'AAS AoNSS val
of the interest and sinking fund of
these bonds, but pays a revenue to the
city. The city also owns and operates
all electric plant for It's own use.
The Galveston plan has been adopt
ed by Houston, Dallas, and other cities.
snd is growing in popularity. In
Houston, however, the commissioners
are better paid, and give all their
tlm.. to the c!ty's affairs.
This plan gets rid Of the vicious
ward system, the cumbersome machine
ry OF the Council, takes the practical
affairs Of the city out OF politics, and
conducts them by the rules OF business.
l. saves both time and money. Under
the new plan five men do what 1t re-
CURES twenty or thirty men to do
under the old and do it far better
VIII somebody explain why the COM
mission plan will not operate as well
IN Richmond as in Galveston and Hous-
ton?