The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-07-22
4 aolaItbmaa ma Soutbron.
WEDNESDAY. July "a. 1908.
New York Independent.

Affer more than q generation of
~xposure OF municipal dishonesty and
0emciency. the volumes OF reform
Stscnssion that often has seemed to
gSt nowhere. some actual knowledge
- tho respective merits OF different
pAAAs of city government Is about to
- obtiuned experimentaiiy. Three
oastinct schemes for achieving what
9zsxhert Spencer once said had never
yss been achieved. namely. "Educing
golden conduct from leaden human
Skfnre." are now In full operation. II
- un1 1air to say that their success
0ay Indicate that hitherto human ma
onre OF fairly good quality has pro-
~rsd extremely bad municipal gov
>snnsnt because Of quite unneces-
my waste and interpolation Of
obrcs. II
rne shres great experiments are
&Aos ~ Oslveston. Tex. Des Moines
-. sAs Newport. II. I, The Calves
- plan. as originally conceived
~aghe years ago. was intended to sub
sksfnss stase appointed administration
, ~ local se,f-Government. The de-
vere having bees declared unconstitu-
eoual the commission plan In It's
Dreset form went into operation Ave
y~Ars ago Five commissioners. one
~f ~sAon Is designated mayor-presi-
cent are elected every two years on
- uencrsi ticket. No ward lines or
ouner local divisions are regarded
The commissioners pass all munich
i p4a ordinances, draw up and pass the
sxnsai budget. award all contracts,
and make all appointments---in short,
suA the town. ,.r.I
1Sls Galveston plan Is one Of GEN.
sraaiSed responsibility In extreme
xOrm but Il is undeniably successful
~ Gar. The financial condition of
Hhe city has been greatly improved.
snA An municipal services have been
er~uxk up 20 q high level Of efici-
~ac$ So great Is the repute OF II
xh~f hve other Texan cities. namely,
3konsaon. Fort Worth. Austin. Dallas
sns H Paso. are now initiating II.
The Dss Moines plan is the Gal
vs-aua commission plan so far as ad-
ofnhtrntive mechanism goes, but II
- Pure democracy so far as ultimate
0Rhffve and decision are concerned.
The mayor and four councilmen,
D0HenA red at q non-partisan primary
end Saected at large. hold ONCE for
<uo yssrs. but any one OF them may
- recalled. and his place otherwise
u1eA ~ popular vote. Any ordinance
~ srxecutfve order Is subject to the
protest." which holds II up until the
Dsotls by vote ratify or reject It. The
psspae moreover. can take the initi-
~nve and cause any measure desired
- % passed upon by popular vote.
m nanchisss have to be submitted
n TIE people. The Des Moines plan
ssrnme operative on April 1. last. II
- people get tired OF It they can
- hack to their old ways ut the end
- am years.
Tne Newport plan is an ingenious
~zfsrSnn OF the representative prin-
csDSe In Esvernment. and. as such, Is
M character intermediates between
- Galveston and the DesMoines
D>nA- n representative council of
~ members In elected. each. men,
~r Tor three years: - members
sSun each ward, one-third OF them
r~nsvabfe yearly. The electorate for
- council. by proviso of the Rhode
0esad constitution. consists of those
vrs<rs only who pay q property tax
a. not less than 3i3+. or the s,4OO
wrssrs Of Newport. about 1.40o are
~ thls rule disqualified for voting
oAr members Of the council, or upon
ssc proposition to impose IA tax or to
sxnd money. The representative
O~nxn Ia a Legislative body having
n Fnrsersl the powers OF New Eng
ksn<5 Town meeting. The executive
pvssS ~ Invested In a mayor and five
s&rmen, elected for one year and
nDInix In general the powers Of
nsnzss - selectmen. A committee of
ID rssenisrs of the council prepares
~ tunssi budget. which must be
Wnscs AN distributed to all tax
pxsfr woacrs at least week before
h2 -sousia~stion by the council. The
sasnycn tau he called together at any
oSse opos the written request Of 25
nnnaneeru. or upon the request Of the
o's<<zd of aldermen. It's meetings
~us be open. and all It's records
usa~s se open to public inspection. II