Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-19
Local Co-operation-No Federal In
tervention.

The theoretical disadvantages of a
three-headed .commissionership can be
converted in public opinion into practical
and obvious evils only through the in
judicious acts of individual Commission
ers Experience does not show that
practical results injurious to the public
develop inevitably from this form OF
government There is no greater reason
or excuse for indecision and injurious de-
lay in the judgments of tribunal OF
three than of a tribunal of one The rule
of the majority must, however. be I'M
qualfiedly accepted to vindicate this
statement There can obviously be no
effective disagreement in tribunal of
three so constituted that any two speak
authoritatively for the whole body.
Whether the decision that precedes action
of one man in sole power is reached more
quickly and unchangeably than that of
two men out of a commission of three
depends entirely upon the personal char
acteristics of the one man and the three
men. respectively. If the one man hap
pens to be of the Gen. Mcclellan type.
which carries judicial INDIGESTION to the
point where it becomes painful to make
UP ones mind. there will be more post
ponements and prOtracted deliberations,
more wabblings and shftings of opinion.
than in the case of a three-headed COM
mission If any one of the latter's men,
bers is of the quick thinking, hastily act
ing Roosevelt type. 1t is not to the dis
credit of the trio of Commissioners or to
the disadvantage of the public that their
decisions are not always unanimous. The
fact that there is dissenting opinion
indicates that the question has not been
hIIf mi
consideration and presentation of both
sides of the argument. But when by the
voice of a majority the Commissioners
have made decision. it should be &C
cepted in good faith and with good grace
as the judgment of the whole board. The
dissenting member. preserving his per-
sonal record. if he pleases. by noting a
formal dissent. should so far as the out
side world goes acquieSce in and help
to make effective the boards opinion. and
expect the same acquiescence when his is
the majority opinion and one of his col
leagues takes the dissenting view.
If this course is followed the ground
will be cut from under the contention tina:
the wranglings of the Commissioners
render the municipal administration in
efficient and condemn the existing form
of government; and mischief makers who
for their own ends, foster and exploit
these wranglings will be disappointed. In
every case the Commissioners would be
wise to thresh out their differences of
opinion in board session, and when de-
cision has been reached abide by ii, on
the principle that as representatives of
the local community under the statute.
and mindful always of intelligent local
opinion, they have both the authority and
capacity to decide municipal questions
fairly and wisely, without the intervention
of any outside official authority.
So in school matters. in the discussions
between the District building and Franklin
building. Why should not recriminations
cease? Let the Commissioners and the
board of education thresh out differences
of opinion in private conference and then
cooperate. The public knows by this
time exactly how everybody stands in the
matter The public feels a minimum of
concern as to what official is the better
controversialist and word manipulation and
a maximum of concern for the welfare of
the schools and for the credit of both mu-
nicipal and school authorities. The COM
munity regards the Commissioners as
faithful public servants. men of integrity
and ability and energy. working for the
full to the board of education for able in
telligent and publc-spirited labors in the
public interest. The people of Washing
ton consider that their municipal and
school authorities are perfectly competent
to conduct school affairs Cor any other
municipal concerns) without federal inter-
vention, and they are impatient with the
continuance of conditions springing from
lack of local cooperation which furnish to
the i'll disposed d pretext for slurrng and
humiliating Washingtonians by asserting
confessing local impotency and inef-
ficiency and crying for help to the White
House, as If Washington was still in mu-
niCipal leading strings, and as if Washing
tonians could not manage the smallest de-
tails of their municipal affairs without the
minute supervision and personal control of
the national executive as universal regu-
lator.