The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-09-10
MODEL CITY GOVERNMENT
Houston Drew Lesson From Re-
construction of Galveston
Affairs of City Entrusted TO a Mayor
and a Commisson Of Four-Each
at Head OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Cities In Texas VIII Follow Pan.

written for Charlotte Observerl
The reconstruction OF the city OF
Galveston after the food has exposed
to public view the inhnite superiority
of an executive city government over
the old form OF legislative city gov
ernment under a board OF aldermen or
other legislative body. The recon-
struction of Galveston was 50 success
full and economically accomplished
that her sister Houston, apple
to the State legislature for a new char
ter. abolishing the board OF aldermen
and establishing a commission OF five
people to run the city. The new gov
ernment consists of mayor and four
assistants each of whom are a head OF
department. There are no wards III
Houston and, of course, no board OF
oldermen, excepting that the mayor
and his four assistants constitute
citv council. The following quoted
articles and sections from the new
charter of Houston show some OF the.
interesting features of this new form
of executive municipal government:
SALARY OF THE MAYOR.
Section. 9.-Salary of the Mayor
The salary of the mayor OF the CITY
] of Houston shall be four thousand do!-
lars. per annum. which said salary
shall be payable in equal monthly in
stalmentss The mayor shall devote
MS entire time to looking after the
business and administration affairs OF
the city.
, Section 4. City Council-There shall
be a city council of the City OF Hous-
/ ton. which shall consist and be COM
posed of mayor and four aldermen,
with full power and authority, subject
! to the veto power of the mayor as
; hereinafter provided.
! Section 12-Salary.-The aldermen
shall each receive a salary OF twenty
four hundred (s2,400) per annum, pay
able in equal monthly instalments, and
shall devote. their entire time to the
service of the city.
The chairman of this little executive
organization is called the mayor of the
city. He makes an annual statement
to his council and through them to
the city of the business Of each year.
We quote below from the mayors an
nual message quite at length, in order
to show that results have been obtain
tanned from this form of government.
RESULTS OBTAINED.
. To the honorable commissioners Of
the City of Houston:
Gentlemen: Another year of the
commission form of government in
Houston has passed since [ have had
the honor Of sending you gentlemen
my annual message.
During that period Houston has mao :
rapid progress, and [ congratulate YOU
gentlemen upon the peace and prs
perity of the community. 1t is With
great satisfaction that | find you gen
tlemen have operated your depart
ments within the budget set forth in
my last annual message, exhibiting a
careful and conscientious discharge CT
your respective duties. The economy
maintained in the several departments
has enabled the commission to con-
truct various permanent improvements
out of the general fund, such as the
building of substantial school houses
pavement Of streets, purchase of ad-
ditional parks, construction Of bridges
and appropriation for the betterment o
Buffalo Bayou, without the issuance C1
bonds. This is the first time in TIE
history of this city that such improve
ments have been made without the
sale of bonds.
My study and experience of munfci
pal government convinces me thai
bond issues are dangerous to a mum
cipality, the main cause of trouble
in the majority of the cities in the q
S. is the fearlessness of debts. Th'
: local government to be successful
must, like the individual, live within
it's means, for otherwise debt ant
bankruptcy must follow. 1t is my OBJ
: servation that all over this countr,
the taxpayer is awakening, taking al
: interest in his local government, AT
will demand not only proper manage
Z ment of his public affairs, but som
practical and beneficial return 70
what he pays into the treasury.
l 1t is with pride that I find, afte
2 twenty months of association wit
g you gentlemen that not a single ve.'
has issued from me, not a dissentin
= vote has been cast upon any measure
1 and not the slightest ripple of un
[ pleasantness has occurred in any @
: our meetings, either public or private
n It is record that any council may b
. proud of.