The Washington herald., 1907-05-10
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

J AtAAAN III i AtN-A @ANtAa N~h--f
! District. and Of other cities. I recommend
a serious consideration of the substtu-
/ ton of single chief executive for the
/ present Board of Commissioners. For
this official the title OF governor has been
/ suggested. as he would be governor OF the
| District Of Columbia, as well as mayor OF
the city of Washington, the duties or
/ both Offices now devolving upon the three
District Commissioners. He should re-
ceive compensation in proportion TO the
/ Importance OF the office and the arduous
duties which it would impose.
1t also recommend that eligibility
/ for the office of governor De extended
/ OF the present District Commissioners
/ TWO must have been actual residents of
th4 District for three years next before
J their appointment and have during that
period claimed residence nowhere else,
/ The third is detailed from time 10 time
( from the engineer corps OF the United
/ States army by the President Of the
United States While residents of the
! District shall naturally have preference, l
believe the President should be free 10
consider the availability OF successful and
experienced mayors in other cities Of the
country who might be especially qualified
] 10 become 1Gr Ctlei eAetutAEc e o-AlNeL oA
/ the National Capital
German Cities Best.
1T is. I think, generally recognized that
the best governed cities OF the world are
/ those Of Germany. In that country the
mayors Of the large cities are selected
/ from the mayors of smaller cities who
have demonstrated their knowledge Of
municipal affairs and their executive eff
/ cheney The present mayor Of Berlin, for
instance. served very successfully as
mayor of two smaller cities before he
reached his present position. The present
MAYORS Of Frankfort and Leipzig had also
distinguished records as mayors in other
cities. Those familiar with municipal
! progress in our country are aware OF the
/ increasing number of able municipal
executives who are being developed IN our
/ large cities. Such executives al the end
I of one or two terms have no further op-
portunitv for public service in the line of
[ their successful experience. From them
might be chosen an executive worthy Of
the high honor of being the chief eXecu-
tive Of the National Capital ], therefore.
recommend that eligibility be extended 70
include those who have served not less
than one term as mayor in a city Of not
less than $1,000 inhabitants.
Good Departments Demanded.
THE present size of the District Of
Columbia imposes large and important
responsibilities upon the different depart
ments of its government and demands
well organized departments with ettlcient
heads. For this reason. and in accordance
with the suggestion OF a single chief
/ executive, / therefore recommend the
/ establishment Of the following depart
ments under independent commissioners,
to be appointed by the President upon
nomination by the governor of the District
OF Columbia; Department of health, de-
partment of police and fire. department
| of street engineering. department of char
tiles. department Of correction, depart
ment of buildings and public works, de-
partment of housing and labor.
"As I have already presented to you
report regarding the department of edu-
cation. and as that department has been
recently reOrganiZed by the Congress, ]
have thought il not wise 20 make any
/ recommendation regarding it, until the
present law has been more thoroughly
/ tested, but I believe it should ultimately
be brought within the proposed scheme Of
reorganization.
Standard Accounting System.
Il did not include the finance and law
departments in my plan Of reorganiza-
ton. since my Investigations have re-
lated primarily 20 problems OF social re-
form. But I should hope that consider
alton would be given to the adoption Of
the standard system of public accounting
now employed increasingly in our cities.
The purpose Of this system IS the simplifi-
cation Of municipal accounts, so that they
may be more Ineligible to the public and
may furnish basis for useful comparl-
son between cities.
The guicing purpose in the plan of re-
organization that I suggest is to define.
locate and eentralize more exactly official
responsibility, and TO extend the power
OF the government of the District TO bet
ter protect the health Of its wage earners
and remove existing inequalities of op-
portunity In the further presentation of
this plan I wish to comment briefly upon
the actual and proposed work Of the var
ious departments named above.
Department of Health.
''The department of health:
1T has been urged by many citizens
that this department.. already rendering
valuable service, needs reorganization,