The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-26

dIouHu directors taDle, the mayor
presiding.
the various departments are required
by the city charter to attend all meet
ings Of the board. Little speechmaking
Is INDUCED in. Business is transacted
promptly, but without any undue haste.
All important matters are discussed
and differences adjusted in conference.
The city attorney has great influence
with the commissioners and his advice
is freely sought.
Toe many cooks spoil the BROTH" is
an old saying, which can we'll be APP
piled to board of twelve or sixteen
aldermen. In Galveston il has been
clearly proven that four commissioners
ana mayor. or a president. can trans
act the business of sixteen aldermen
and mayor. and do il better. more ex-
peditiously and with greater harmony.
What Commission Has Done.
The Galveston commission govern
ment began Sept. IS 1901. At that time
the city was practically bankrupt: its
taxable values were greatly reduced, it
owed heavy floating debt in the
shape of scrip issued for current bills:
the city hall, water works station and
some of the fire engine houses were in
ruins and the street paving in wretched
condition.
One of the first acts of the board was
10 obtain the services of three eminent
engineers, for the preparation of plans
for the protection Of the city from ca
lamitous overflow. Their report called
for seaWall to cost S1.500, 900 and the
raising of the grade of the city at an
expense of 81 000, 600. The county built
the seawall and the city has raised the
CaI oil inc
issued $500,000 bonds for its share of the
cost of a 81 400, 900 causeway to connect
the island with the mainland. Eighty
five per cent of the taxable values of
Galveston county is located in the city
of Galveston, hence the burden of tax
alton falls largely upon the city proper.
The tax rate for city purposes in 1907
was so and for state and county pur-
poses $116h Valuations for assessing
purposes are quite reasonable, and not
withstanding GalYestOn's experience
and accomplishments, its taxes are
lower than any large city in Texas
The next step of the commission was
to get the majority of the bondholders
to accept 21s per cent interest, instead
of per cent, for period of five years.
The taxpayers were the beneficiaries
of this compromise. not the city. as the
tax levy was reduced accordingly. out
of current revenues from date of their
Inauguration into Office and up to Feb.
20. 1908 the city commission has paid
for the following extraordinary ex-
penSes
Floating debt inherited from al
dermen ........ .......................Sl5 $50 900
Brick pavement on sand foundation
at 81. 40 per yard ---.-...............- 10000
Shell roads ............................ $4,000
Storm drains ..-..... ......-........... 100 GOO
Repairs to city hall, new engine
houses. new waterworks station
and pumping plant ................. TO-
Total ........ .......................S $3.50 600
In securing the services of heads of
departments and employees the commits
siOners have ignored political influence.
Capacity and fitness alone have been
considered. Each commissioner has
taken a deep personal interest and a
pride in the success of his department.
The City Club and the People.
1t is true that the commission plan
simplifies city government and cen
tralizes responsibility. Under this plan
the searchlight of public opinion plays
upon the work of each commissioner
II a department is badly managed the
commissioner in charge cannot escape
censure or blame. Bids must be adVer-
tised for in every instance where the
expenditure exceeds $500, and no bonds
can be issued without favorable vote
of the taxpayers.
1t must be remembered, however,
that with a commission or any other
plan of government the question of
men and of citizenship is highly i'm
pOrtant. No plan ever devised will sue
cessfully run itself. Patient labor, per-
sonal sacrifice and self-denial, is the
price of good government.
When the legislature granted Gal
weston its new charter there came into
existence an organization known as
the City club, which declared in its
declaration of principles that it was
non-partisan political organization,
whose object and aim was to work for
the welfare of Galveston. 1t deals with
municipal elections only.
The motto of the City club is, '1et
the office seek the man." This organ
ization has supported the present city
administration from the outset. 1t in
duced the present mayor and commits
sioners to become candidates under the
promise that they would be relieved of
all expense, labor and annoyance Incl
dent TO the campaign. No employe OF
the city is permitted to contribute to
the campaign fund, ii being raised en-
tirely through subscriptions from the
business men. The campaign expenses
do not exceed $500, and is confined to
advertising, literature and postage.
Some organizatl ton of this sort is be-
lieved in Galveston TO be almost essen
tial to obtaining the right men for can
didates.
The Work of Reconstruction.
The commission has paid off and cam
celed $461 S53.70 of the regular bonded
debt IL has taken care of very heavy
expenses in raising water mains and
pipes in the grade raising area and i'm
putting i'm new screens in the artesian
wells from which the city obtains it's
water supply. With funds received
from sale of sewer bonds, just prior to
the advent of the commission form of
city government, $3.50. 900 has been ex-
pended in extending the sewer system.
The city has also purchased three
new fire engines, one large extension
ladder truck, other equipment and new
horses. All obligations of the city have
been paid i'm cash, not a dollar being
borrowed and not a bond issued, eX-
cepting the special issue for grade rails
ing purposes. The city maintains a
splendidly equipped public hospital, al
net annual expense of $50, 600.
The city has paid about $3.50, goo of its
own funds TO meet the interest on the
"a -.