Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-04-24
THE COMMISSION PLAN.

THE COMMISSION PLAN.
The city of Lewiston in operating
under its new charter is following the
plan proposed by some of the most
progressive cities of the country in
working out the problems of munici-
pal government. It is the commission
plan designed to break up the inef-
fectual work OF the old council plan
and fix the responsibility upon the
members individually by making each
accountable for some particular part
of the city government.
1t was a plan first tried by Calves
ton to meet the emergencies of the de-
vastations of the great flood of 1900,
but the Galveston system worked so
effectually that Houston, a neighbor-
ing city, went to the legislature two
years ago for charter enabling 1t to
repeat the Galveston experiment. The
result has been successful in the ex-
treme
Formerly Houston was divided into
six wards and there were two alder
men from each ward, says a writer
in the Outlook. commenting on the
results.
There was multiplicity of other
elective off1cers-half a dozen or more
besides the aldermen. 1t was imnos-
sibl to hold many accountable for the
conduct Of their offices. Now tba
ward lines are abolished, the four
aldermen are elected at large, and the
other city officers are appointed nv
the mayor and may be removed by him
at will-except the comptroller. who
10 elected by the council and to that
Body alone is responsible. If things
80 wrong 1t is easy to fix the blame
ION the mayor or one of his four as
ssistants.
In practice this plan has worked
on a business basis The mavor as
signs the aldermen to their denart.
ments at the beginning of his admin
istration. In the conduct of the citv
anairs mayor and aldermen get to.
gether. talk things over, agree unon
what should be done. and then ratiYv
their agreements in brief counc,I
meetings. Theoretically the council &c
always in session. Here is PRACTICABLE
the British cabinet system, in which
executive and legislative authority IS
combined. Readers of Baeehot who
recall his comment on the effect Of tha-
responsibility of cabinet ministers IN
SOLDERING their speeches and reducing
promises to a basis of performance
VIII De interested to not that an an
alogous result Is produced under the
centralized form of city government
The council cannot afford to indulge
IN the customary buncombe.
This is admirably illustrated in the
experience of Houston, where the civ
engineer says that the cost of running
ms office is about half as mucl as
under the old order, for this reason
Under the old regime every alderman.
In order to make a showing for IN,
own constituents, would get through
the council ordinances requiring the
engineering department to prepare
plans and specifications for vast
amounts of work with no expectation
That the work would ever be per-
formed
In one year his office prepared plans
and specifications for more than
sS'OoOOOO worth OF street improve
ments. when only $25O,O00 worth was
actually done. So a needlessly large
force of draughtsInen was required
and occasionally contracts were let on |
specifications perfunctorly prepared. |
without expectation that they would
be used, and the citys interests sur
Tered. Now there Is no temptation to
play to the galleries. The city's board
OF directors knows how much work
can be done. 1t has no object in cal
ling for plans for more. 1t is re-
sponsible, not to the wards, but to the
city as whole.