The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-07

porters of the new instrument will be
satisfied to bodily seize upon one, or
even two. charters of other cities and
declare them wholly applicable or
suitable to Walla Walla.
Instead, the trainers have now the
opportunity to make of Walla Walla
a city unique, a municipality conduct
ed upon strictly business lines. Old
methods and old laws should be close
ly eliminated and replaced with an
up-to-date administration, one which
will give protection to the people, the
property owners and the taxpayers
In this connection may be mentioned
the government of Galveston, Texas,
so far as known, the simplest, most
successful. direct and responsible gov
eminent in the world. Five men-a
president and four managers-goVern
Galveston.
The Galveston experiment was born
of a catastrophe. In September, 1910,
the city was well nigh swept out OF
eXistance by tidal wave which
drowned one-sixth of the population
and destroyed one-third of the proper
ty. Nothing was left but the ruins and
the debts, and on top of this 1t was
necessary, without credit. to create
more debt. The city government, UNI
der the stain, broke down. The coun-
cilmen could originate nothing, do
nothing. They were inpotent in the
crisis. But there was committee OF
Is, deep waterways commission,
composed of men who owned most OF
the property destroyed. To save the
remnant of their investment, these men
were obliged to act. They brought or
der out of chaos, and. using their own
credit, obtained more for the city and
set it on it's feet again. Out of this
commission grew the commission form
Of government. -
1t consists essentially of five men,
four of whom take charge of different
departments. such as police and fire,
streets, engineering, public health and
finance. The fifth member is the chair
man or mayor, who has no specific de-
partment, but who supervises all, and
in committee meetings has an equal
voice and vote with the others. The
commission is primarily business bo-
dy, and SO long as it can be maintained
on that basis, the government will con-
- = 1o hot
worth The commission has already
performed miracles in clearing away
old debts and putting the city finances
on a sound basis.
The chief thing which cOmmends the
commission is that it is known and re-
sponsible, and under a strict system OF
publicity it's proceedings are as simple
and understandable as those of bust
ness firm. Under the system of ward
councilmen Galveston's accounts al
ways declined to balance and confusion
prevailed similar to that in Walla
Walla when the water scandal arose.
These things are no longer possible in
Galveston unless the commission be-
comes wantonly corrupt. and this seems
unlikely so long as the commissions
every act is open to public scrutiny.
The Galveston experiment is five
years old Undertaken to restore a
ruined city, it has been adopted as the
permanent form of government 1t is
attracting the attention of other cities.
Already Houston has taken it up.
Northern cities struggling with the
charter problem are deeply interested.
Nearly all the northern experiments in
charter making have gone to the other
extreme. They have resulted in COM
pick instruments, the multiplication of
offices and the harassment of the peo-
pie with new taxes and new debts.
The Galveston commission plan goes to
the other extreme of simplicity. 1t en-
larges the human and personal element
in government and pu;s its main reli-
ance upon direct responsibility. 1t has
had a wonderful Endorsement. 1t is
worthy of close study by northern
cities which often have changed the
form of their charters without making
any appreciable gain in the substance
of good government.