Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-13
Attractive showing of b COmmiaston
system 81 Government I'm
Houston. Tex.


At a recent meeting Of the Carolina
Municipal association Mr.. Rice, the mayor
Of Houston, Tex, gave an account Of the
government OF his city which was fun of
interest as a lesson in what may be &C
complished In the way of business munie
ipal administration. Houston had for
years been suffering under the evils of
political government. It was inefficient
and extravagant. ana money which was
raised by taxation was squandered. Pub
lie utilities were u~nregulated and people
had to pay too much for what they got.
wearying Of these things. leading citizens
went to the Legislature for a city charter
on a new plan. Under this plan authority
and responsibility were eentered in q
mayor chosen by the people. voting under
the restrictions OF the Laws Of Texas. These
laws limit the suffrage to those who have
paid the poll tax in person. The main
features of the Houston plan are the cleo
ton by the people OF a mayor who is the
head Of the municipality and Of a small
council. Instead OF having a council COM
posed Of men elected by separate wards,
the council is composed OF four men elected
from the city at large. A coordinate
power is vested in the mayor n council
to dismiss any city official, except the
comptroller. without cause at any time.
Essential provisions were adopted safe
guarding the granting OF municipal fran
chises. A large portion OF the executive
or administrative power is subdivided into
different departments. Each department
is under the charge OF a committee and
the mayor. and all the counciimen are
members of each committee.
One ofvthe striking results Of the sys-
tenn. as described by Mayor Rice, has been
the elimination OF red tape and palayer.
Any citizen who wants a street paved.
taxes adjusted, assessment changed, a
nuisance abated, has only to cali at the
mayors office. state HIS case and have the
matter decided on the spot. Not long ago
a nonresident landowner came to Houston
and discovered that his property was as
sessed higher than other adjacent PROD
erty. He asked the advice of a lawyer
and was told to call at the mayors office
and state the case to him. He did so.
The mayor called in the tax collector, and
in less than an hour the matter had been
adjusted. The astonished landowner de-
elared that in the city where he lived 1t
would have taken weeks to reach a con-
elusion.
This new charter IN Houston became
operative sn 1906. When the new govern
ment went In the finances were IN a de-
plorable condition and there was a floating
debt Of $4,000. The public credit had
become 50 impaired that people did not
wish to deal With the city. In the three
years since the new charter government
began the floating debt has been paid. ali
current bills are promptly met. credit has
been re-established. over 100000 has been
spent In permanent improvements, useless
offices have been abolished and many CON
sohdated. water works have been purchased
and water supplied TO SINAI houses at
@ a year. gambling has been broken up
and the tax rate Is 20 cents less than it
was before.
The charter confers the right to regulate
the charges Of public utility corporations.
and the price OF gas has been reducted
from S1y60 to s1.l5. I'VE regulate, hut do
not Cypress them Mayor Rice said. I'm
fact. we encourage capital 20 oOme TO Hous-
ton."-Baltim0re sun.