Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-01-27
Governing Cities by Commissions
CReprinted by courtesy of The World
Today" CicagoD

CReprinted by courtesy of The World
Today" CicagoD
As a sufferer from disease natural
" turns to the remedy which has cur
ed or benefited others similarly afflic-
ted. so the representative people and
newspapers Of many graft-buriened,
boss-ridden cities throughout the Uni
ted States are interesting themselves
in the commission form of government
for municipalities. which has done so
much toward eNtCrminatinE the car
Ger OF political corruption i'm places
where it has been given a trial. So
far the plan is confined to but three
states outside Of the District Of Col
unnbia. where the theory on which it
is Jased had its genesis II has
brought about remarkable results. and
ITS adoption elsewhere is highly prob
able.
To those who know that Texas was
the pioneer in the effective application
of the railroad commission idea. now
so much in the public eye as a result
of the passage of the rate hill, 1t is
perhaps not surprising that that state
was the first to bring about really
practical reforms through the adoption
Of the commission system in munic
ipal government. Galveston. its larg-
est seaport. has operated most sue
ceSsfully under that system since
short time after the storm Of Septem-
Der s. 1900. Houston. its largest city,
took up the same form Of government
ffnrif
progress toward ideal conditions has
already been made. Dallas decided To
do likewise at an election held last
spring. Citizens of San Antonio and
the press of that city are urging that
the system be installed there and one
Of TT. Worths leading papers said re-
Gently that "a strong sentimenJ-al-
most an overwhelming demand-for
government by commission had de-
veloped at that place.
But it is not only in Texas that the
method finds favor. Nashville, Tenn,
has made use of a modified form Of
government by commission for years.
Des MOines. Ia. some time ago sent
Mr.. James G.. Berryhill. one Of its lead
ing citizens. TO Houston and Calves
Norfolk Va. is now governed by
commission. which was elected 4 few
weeks ago. The Civic Improvement
League Of St. Louis is studying the
situation in Texas towns with 4 pos
sible view TO urging the adoption of
the innovation in the Missouri metrop-
oils. and requests for information re-
garding the workings Of the plan have
been received in Houston and Calves
ton from many other cities.
While the general idea for this form
Of government was borrowed from the
District Of Columbia, il is obvious that
exactly the same system which pre-
walls there could not be applied else
where. Citizens Of the District are
disfranchised, politics touches their
administrative board remotely. if at
all. and peculiar conditions. which
could not exist in an ordinary city. re-
suit from the cooperation of the local
HLd federal authorities. But the basic
principle is adaptable to any munic-
spality. as has been demonstrated i'm
Texas Houston and Galveston each
elect a board Of five commissioners
only. the power to appoint all subOrdi-
nate officials being vested in those
boards. II might be objected that this
would tend to a dangerous centraIiza-
zion Of authority, but the experience
~ the two cities show such an abiec-
ton To be no better founded than il
would be in the case of a railroad
'ghOse directors. rather than whose
stockholders, are in direct control. \
majority Of each board rules aHd the
chairman, or mayor, has no veto pow
er. Each commissioner has certain Of
the city departments under his super
vision. but Legislation affecting those
departments must be enacted by the
whole board.
The opinion that the commission
plan abridges any Of the rights and
privileges Of the people, or tends to
the elimination Of the party lines
which are usually so essential to good
government is erroneous. on the con-