The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-04
NOT A PARALLEL CASE.

Opponents of the commission form of
government occasionally point to
Washington, D. c.. as an example of
an ineffciently managed city which is
conducted under this plan. There can
be no doubt that the administration of
the municipal affairs Of the nations
capital are far from approaching the
ideal in any particular. And it is true
that it is. and has been for many years,
governed by a commission of three
men. But its form of commission gov
eminent is nothing like that which has
been tried with such success in Vari-
GUS cities in the country. It's commits
sion is appointed by the president and
its functions are purely administrative
The levyino of taxes in the city, the
appropriations of money for public
works and for avery other municipal
activity is in the hands of congress.
and while the detractors of a commits
sion form of government may be able
to find some solace in the fact that
Washington is poorly governed by a
commission, it's government is not
analogous in any way to the up-to-date
forms of commission government, one
of which may soon be tried by Topeka
torial on the subject which appeared
recently in the Springfield Republican,
as follows:
ut is stated in the newspapers of the
national capital that President Taft
has determined to urge upon congress a
change in the form Of the local govern
ment imposed upon the District of Co
lumbia- The effort to find the ideal
system of administration for the Dis
trict has continued for many years but
hitherto without success. There never
was a time when the inhabitants of
Washington complained more loudly or
bitterly of misgovernment.
THE Washington Post losses the
present system into the scrap heap in
saying that three captains have been
too much for the ship. That there has
been no shipwreck has been due to the
fact that the president of the United
States is the power behind the District
government, and in this single head
there has been safety in time of stress
But in everyday affairs there has been
constant confusion, wrangling, and
costly delay What is wanted is a
president is evidently credited with the
purpose to recommend the concentra-
| ton of administrative powers in one
| functionary charged with full RESPONSE
| bility, and superseding the triple-head-
| ed commission.
| sion government in American munich
palities. Everywhere the so-called Gal
weston plan, or the derivative Des
Moines plan, is being studied by prac-
| teal urban administrators and stud
| ents Of municipal gov ernment; but here
| is Washington complaining that COM
| mission government is wretched
| make-believe of real efficiency in rum
| ming a big town. If the Washington
| experience contradicts that of the other
| cities mentioned, it should not be ig-
| nored. But a slight examination shows
| that the parallel is merely nominal, and
that the word commission as used in
| the two cases. is misleading for the
| reason that it applies to different sets
| of facts.
1.-THE trouble in Washington has been
in the diffusion of executive RESPONSE
bility among three men who are equally
responsible, not to the people governed
but to the appointing power higher up
while the legislative power, together
| with the power of the purse, has beer
| vested in the congress of the United
States-a body which has other things
/ to think of besides the streets. sewers
schools, police, and plumbing of Wash
ington. A commission government Oh
this character is very different from
the sort tried in the Texas and western
cities. In those communities the COM
mission itself has a chief executive in
the mayor, and the municipal finance
/ question is not vitfated, as in Washing.
ton, by the existence of nationa