New-York tribune., 1907-06-16
THE TEXAS IDEA.
City Government by a Board of
Directors.
BY III. j. Haskell.

recently, 10 look aTSer back taxes land. The
taxes had been assessed against various persons
owning indefinite interests. and the thing was in
tangle. The agent wanted to have the property
reassessed against the real owners that the back
taxes could be cleared up
He was familiar with the customary procedure
First he expected 10 present a petition TO the City
Council setting forth the facts This. of course
would be referred TO committee The members
would need to be individually: then would
come the efforts get together Political in
huences would be brought to bear. favorable re-
port would be obtained and finally after weeks of
oeIay' the adjustment might be secured
Inc lawyer whom he consulted impressed
by the magnitude of the undertaking. He merely
remarked that they might we'll go over 10 the
Mayors office and settle 1t at once
HOLD on the agent replied, in surprise Be
iore we see anybody, oughtn't get some in
huehtial business men here to go with U.s. so the
adjustment will be made a fair basis? There's
tom
You don't know what sort of government we've
got IN Houston" the lawyer interrupted. Pull
doesn't go"
The douhting man from Milwaukee went to the
Mayors Office The lawyer made his explana-
lions the assessor was called in figures were pro-
duced showing the assessments on adjoining prop
erty, and in hour the intricate matter was prac-
teally disposed of The agreement was then
formally ratified by the Council. That ended it,
Inc business was transacted precisely as speedily
and as equitably it could have been done by any
well managed corporation
And indeed. II was a corporation that transacted
1.-THE Corporation of Houston, managed by a
board consisting of chairman and four directors
Mayor and aldermen, Houston calls them. In
Galveston the city that frst tried the experiment
tey are called frankly Mayor President and
commissioners The old name Of alderman is re-
tained in Houston apparently only OF Difference
TO the past
THESE two towns are trying 10 work out a solu-
uon or the problem Of municipal government along
lines that are practically new in America Having
found the old form OF government by municipal
legislature failure. they have not sought TO abol-
lsh the Council or even primarily TO reform it.
IheE nave merely reduced IL 10 such size that its
members may he held accounta Bile and then have
given them the power essential to efficiency
rake such small matter the prescriptions
gwen by the city TO the poor. Sometimes they had
cost several hundred dollars a month Rarely
had they been less than $75. The alderman in
charge Of the Health Department under the new
system appointed druggist the clerk Of his de-
partment and bought 500 worth of drugs Since
then the city has filed its own prescriptions at
cost of five cents each. The assistant health Off
Ger fitted up a surgical room. where many patients
are treated who formerly were sent TO a hospital
The saving from these two economies amounts 10
from 500 10 $50 month.
This is not a large item. 10 he sure though +,
amounts TO something in a city Of the size of Hous-
Ton The significant thing is that a competent off,
cidI was able TO institute these economies without
tedious delays and without the necessity of making
concessions 70 pull" Under old system mat
ters Of this character wouG have been discussed al
great length in the City Councn-and Houston was
fortunate in having single house. instead Of two
aldermen would have been hauled about by drug
gists looking for city patronage. and very likely
nothing would have been done
Consider another instance. Several years ago the
city erected crematory. at an expense Of Sl2 900
reoaTP9 69e Of oa m gssPage and and rubbish The plant
snFee @ or tour men II frequently got out Of order,
sfs rftalngg % az an expense Of $50 month to look
Ger the new administration not compelled 10
wait months for aldernanic committees to work
pqng plant in the middle Of the city At coe
9arSS Il" sadt up sIhpe device for burning
| furnace with the stack OF the pumping plant thus
out additional fuel The men at the pumping sta
ba non M %eFf abe to do the extra work necessary
tirs t l pm i05 Iue ana running expenses was prac
ino yya 9nServs again that this saw
! conducted big business enterprise, and not after
observe further that Weil Conducted, is no, q
! opportunity TO make a direct comparison OF its EN-
cheney with that of a corporation in handling its
of1 Mater Plant Under former administration the
that 1t own and operate its water works Con
it reversed Itself BY vote of f four Ie n nw cne
ETsar and took charge Of the plant in October
isfactory. Since it Was Cheaper t eH 10 pump Sal5
SUPPOSED 10 I9 the she suPPy a5ese3 %e Ra
| @ percentage I OF bayou water was mixed with the
pure water from the wells. Moreover the fire pres
| sure was often inadequate.
| Inc CITY. al once cut OF the bayou water and
beesh the Installation Of duplicate machinery The
| average water pressure was increased about nine
| pounds, and adequate fire pressure obtained.
| Nhie wages OF employees were increased slightly
about 1850 a year-the salaries of the company
| offcials were dispensed with the amount of
! 5000 annually. The city is burning less coal than
the old company, and the total expense of operat-
| ing the more efficient plant is $500
| less than IL under private management
Such specific instances these are more sign-
hcant perhaps, than the dry facts that under the
| reduced taxation from 81 the hundred to 81 50,
and that II cancelled the floating debt Of nearly
100000 while II has paid off nearly 5000 600 OF
Indebtedness In the form of street paving certl-
| ffcates, debts 70 the old water company and the
| like
Galveston has had a similar experience In the
decreased its running expenses third has cleaned
its streets done much paving. put In sewers. i'm
| proved its water plant, and become well ordered,
| prosperous town.
as has been pointed out to the abolition of the
| checks and balances which American municipalities
] copied from the federal government. which in turn
! had inherited them from Parliamentary England,
| sibity
! IF we should grow careless a Houston man
| said and allow incompetent or dishonest men 10
be elected to the Council, would at least have
this advantage-tt's easier TO watch five thieves
In Houston gambling houses allowed TO
operate almost unmolested until the new system Of
/ government introduced. Now these places
| have been practically suppressed. Formerly the
saloons were open all day Sunday Now they are
omen only after ! o'clock in the afternoon. Al
though the Council has been criticised for failure
10 enforce the state law TO the letter. many well
Informed persons feel that II has gone as far as
public sentiment sanctions tn, l.,
That Il commands the support OF the Pubnc is
indicated by the fact that more than a thousaIu
persons recently pettioned the Mayor and the four
aldermen TO become candidates for reelection