Evening star., 1909-08-28
Plan Recommended for Expe-
diting Business Endorsed.
FAv0RS DAILY MEETINGS
Urges Regular Sessions of the Com.
missioners.
WOULD REAPPo1NT COMMITTEE
Scheme in Line With a Motion Made
by Him Last May-Proposed
Hearings for Citizens.


handling the Districts correspondence
suggested by a special committee and
outlined In The Star yesterday. Commits
sioner West today declared that the
innovation will mean a great improvement
in the business administration OF the
District government
He urged especially the adoption OF the
feature of the plan which calls for a
meeting of the board Of Commissioners
every morning. on the ground that this
action will result in the expedition of
work by the District heads.
To put the plan into successful opera
ton and to work out the details as they
may develope, he also urged the reap
pofntment Of the special committee which
urged the plan. 1t is composed Of Alonzo
Tweedale, District auditor; Capt. William
Kelly, assistant to the Engineer Commits
sioner; Daniel f. Garges. chief clerk OF
the engineer department: DR.. William Tin
dali. secretary to the board OF Commits
sioners, and Walter G. Allen electrical
engineer.
Commissioner Vests Motion.
Commissioner Vests motion. urging the
adoption OF the new plan for greater
efficiency in handling the correspondence
and records of the District government,
was as follows:
Il move the adoption OF this report
and recommend that the committee be
authorized to continue in existence for
the purpose Of taking up such details
as may develop in the Inauguration Of
the plan.
II especially approve the suggestion for
the Commissioners to meet daily In board
session. to receive and authorize the dis
position of the mail. as well as to author
ize such other business as may come
before the board. / believe that this
action will result in the expedition OF
work. and that it will lead to the greater
concentration of effort on the part, of
the Commissioners. 1t is in line with the
motion made by me May 49, 1909. which
motion still remains unacted upon.
II believe that the methods herein pro-
posed. together with other improvements
as may from time to time suggest them
selves, win go far toward abolishine
obsolete methods which have been al
lowed to continue, and improve the busi-
ness administration of the District gov
ernment."
One feature of the new plan for a meeting
of the Commissioners in board session
every morning, which will be considered
give opportunity to citizens and others
having business with the Commissioners
to appear before the entire board al
the time Of its daily morning session. II
is the idea Of Commissioner West. who
is strongly in favor Of the new plan, to
have the Commissioners take up. at the
beginning of the daily board session. the
correspondence which has come in since
the last meeting. After that has been
disposed of, the board will receive per.
sons who have complaints. suggestions or
requests to make. A definite time will be
fixed for this kind of business, it is sug-
gested. and much can be done In a short
time with the appearan of citizens be-
fore the entire board.
Mayor Carter Harrison's Plan.
This is in line with a plan put into
successful operation by the junior Carter
Harrison, when he was mayor OF Chica-
CO. At certain time each morning, he
stood behind a big desk in a large room
and received any citizen who desired to
have a talk with him. There was usually
a long line OF persons waiting to see his
honor every morning: but the mayor was
able to dispose of each case in a brief
time. stenographer stood at his elbow
and made notes Of any case which were
to be considered by him later, or whach
were to be referred to heads of depart
ments for disposition. Or IL case was
found to be an important one, a private
appointment with the mayor was ar
ranged.
In the line OF persons who saw the
clean and unclean, ragged and we'll dress
ed. All received the necessary attention
and the citizens of the Windy city were
strong in expressing their appreciation of
the plan.
This feature is not included in the
plan suggested by the special committee.
whose report is urged by Commissioner
West to be adopted; but 1t will be con-
sidered in connection with it.
1t is unlikely that the motion OF Com
missioner West for the adoption of the
plan for daily board sessions and other
means of handling the Districts business
will be acted upon by the Commissioners
for a week or ten days. Commissioner
Macfarland is out of the city and Is not
expected to return for a week, and Engi-
neer Commissioner JudsOn is at the bed
side of his son, who has suffered re-
lapse after being on the road to recovery
from an attack of typhoid fever. and will
probably not return to Washington for
a Week Or fen daVS