New-York tribune., 1907-08-26
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
A Suggestion for Having City Business IN
the Hands of Corporation.
tor of The Tribune.

/ To the Editor of The Tribune
| Sir: Galveston has successfully introduced
| new of municipal government-governrlent
| by commission. The example set by Galveston mas
been followed by other cities. It seems step In
| the right direction
| 1 think we could go even step further and
| establish municipal government by corporations
| If 1t is business and nothing else to govern
] city well it reasonable to assume that
business corporation could do this business we'll
So I propose government by corporations As
soon as it were known that municipalities are
willing to be managed by business corporations
such corporations would be formed everywhere
possibly so-called trusts even; yet not necessarily
to the detriment of the people.
I will give few outlines of such a government
by corporations. Preferably there would be JUST
one corporation which would undertake to man
age all the departments Of city. town or village
AS a safeguard for effectiveness, all employees, or
at least the actual office force might be required
10 have passed rigid Civil Service examination
The corporation would be chosen by the cltlens
by a simple majority vote in a competition between
a number Of corporations. just as now individuai
candidates chosen. The difference between
the old style and the style would be just this
n present only individuals chosen; in future
instead of individuals, corporations would be
chosen TO manage municipality. Before entering
candidates the corporations would have 10 make
n deposit of a large sum. in big cities of many
millions Of dollars. in good bank. TO prove their
good faith and financial ability. If elected a cor
poraton would have to keep this money In trust;
the city would pay interest it to the corpora
ton Out of this deposit the corporation would
nav damages in case of fraud negligence during
its administration. to the city individual citi-
zens, according to the decisions of the courts
Another feature would be that every year full
account would have 20 be published OF all the
doings of the corporation. Of the work accom-
pshed. of the people employed. the salaries paid
of income and expenses; all this free 10 every
householder, and. besides. at regular intervals,
well illustrated pamphlets must be published. for
a nominal fee. regarding doings and improvements
In the many branches of municipal administration.
special reading would bs maintained in
the city hall. with a competent librarian in charge
Of all these publications. free to the public
A corporation would be chosen every ten years
The same corporation could be chosen after ten
years a recognition of good service.
Ample remuneration would be given 20 this nu-
nicipal corporation for its services, to allow
no excuse for ineffective service OF for grating
The corporation would collect the taxes. appoint
and pay school teachers, run the city railways.
light the streets. clean them. run the police and
fire departments and do all things generally done
by city administration.
corporation OF this kind might number
of cities at the same time, and would have 70
sustain schools for training the needed Civil Ser
vice force.
This plan would keep religion and politics out OF
municipal government, give guarantees for good
service. and would be practical truly democratic
this country
Even the county and state could be managed
after the plan. and possibly we would have
finally a national administration by chosen cor
porations
To many this plan may too radical. but
we have already the thing without the proper name
for IT, We are ruled by corporations de facto; but
with all the evils OF IT. Why not go just one step
further? Corporations the best possible ma
chimes for doing business But they. Ike all ma
chimes must be put TO proper use and well
watched II need be. repaired replaced by other
and better machines, but also properly fed.
1t would be Impossible to bribe the majority OF
citizens Of municipality. So bribery would be ex-
cluded.
Finally. the people would appoint from time TO
time special auditors. preferably from distant
state so as to be sure of impartial auditing.
Municipal government would thus become a bus-
ness. like anything else. and would be done in
businesslike manner. \. BRODBECK. Phi ID.
Salt Lake City, AUG. 19 1907