Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-19
CITY Governments,
HONE and ABROAD
Admiral Chadwick, United
States Navy, Criticizes Hap
hazard American Methods
pEs MONIES PLAN APPROVED
Says System, Adopted BY Iowa's Cap
ital is Better Than GaIveston's But
Not So Good as Newport's ~ Essen
tiaI Difference in Spending Power
News Of the Day.

News Of the Day.
Norfolk, Va, Sept. 1s.-The session
OF the League Of American Municipal
tiles listened to further discussions to-
day OF city government systems ana
taxation.
The session was devoted almost eA-
cluisevly to q discussion OF Munlcl-
pal Government by Commission YER
sus Mayor and Council. Addresses
were made by Rear Admiral Frencn
E. Chadwick, James NJ. Head, OF bos-
ton, and DIR. William II. Alien, OF ne"
York In the absence OF Commission
er White Of the District Of Columbia g.
his address f;avoring commission gov
ernment was presented to the con
vention by the secretary.
Rear Admiral French e. ChadWlck,
United States navy, spoke In expiana-
ton and advocacy Of the Newport, ~.
L. system ot municipal government,
and also devoted portion OF his ad-
al ess to comparison of American ana
European forms OF city administra-
ton, declaring that the American peo-
ple had much to learn In this despect
ple had much to learn in this respect.
..The first need in an understanding
Of this subject OF municipal admins
tration," declared Admiral Chadwick,
ais i realization Of the immensely OF
our backwariness In nearly all things
which 60 to make the well organized,
well administered town. Tho we are
all agreed that our municipal condt-
lions are in general bad, do not think
that It is at all generally understood
how very bad they are In comparison
with those e,f well ordered cities In
other countries. have lately been
abroad. and tried to keep my eyes
open AZ TO what Is doing In Europe,
and i must say that the resulting feel
.4A9 was one of deep modification when
q caAed mp recollection OF some of
own conditions. Germany. In partic-
ular, does for the public, In gardens,
parks, ornamental waters and other
means OF enjoyment for the mass,
what, we, with q few exceptions,
scarcely attempt.
american towns as a rule have
simply been the subject of exploitation
\ thru a long series of years, for the
benefit Of seekers after political power
or for what we have come to call
graft. We have sat In grumbling hui
NOR thruout this era without sufficient
energy, or public spirit to free our.
selves.
The situation which we are attack
ing is one of unparalled national dis
grace. Praise Of our supposed intelli-
navns3 {c vryhn1 ISr 4c cp1
until we shall produce change. Char
acter is the first Of products, and un-
til we shall, as people, stand on a
plane Of honesty and earnestness for
the public good, our satisfaction
is but as Tead Sea fruit. The living
fact is that our backwardness in city
administration is due to our want OF
national banckbone, and to a want OF
that widespread intelligence which we.
are to wont to boast as being ours in
very high degree.
"After such study as have been
able to give the subject, have be-
come convinced that the main cause
81 our failure Is in placing city ad-
ministration. profession which de-
mands thorough knowledge and ex-
!, perience, in the hands Of haphazard,
short term men. A mayor with us is
the accident Of the day; the same may
be said Of all the rest Of our officials.
Their only real knowledge as a rule is
the game OF politics and they naturally
play to keep in power. A change tosa
greater permanency Of office among
our technical officials particularly is
thus our primal need. This necessity
is everywhere else recognized. Taking
English procedure, we find the actual
administration wholly In the hands Of
technical experts, who would also
add, are called from any part Of the
country.
.sBut It is Germany which recog-
nized In the greatest degree the busi-
ness aspect Of municipal administra
tion. and 1t Is to Germany that we
must go to find its highest and best
development. The mayor in Germany
is a mayor by profession, a highly
trained and experienced city admins
traitor. He may be called II he ac-
quires reputation, from city to city.
He Is in fact an employee"
After discussing briefly the Calves
ton and Des Moines systems, and crit
icizing the former as an almost en-
tire separation Of the people from their
civic duties. Admiral Chadwick con-
timed:
"The system adopted in Newport, r.
T.. and very successful thus far in its
operation, is in great degree re-
turn to popular government It is
when analyzed a system OF small
body of administrators, six in all, who
are completely responsible for the
manner In which administration is
carried on. But all power of taxation,
appropriation of funds. appointment to
the more important city offices, is in
the hands OF body of 1875. which we
call the representative council. In
principle the system Is not unlike that
of Washington. where there is an
executive commission of three men
appointed by the president and subject
20 congretss. There is no anology what
sver between the Washington usage