The Washington times., 1909-05-11


aLsurateI the plan. Houston had 10
great storm; no such crisis as that at
GalvesS9a, with mayor and council
helpless and unable to cope with thr
situation confronted her; no terrible
need for immediate action made the
quick adoption OF an effective plan for
new city government imperative and
reused pJfblic spirit to an unusual de-
gree. A desire for better government
and the example set by Galveston
moved her to try the same experiment
for her population Of $1,000; but she
kept many OF the old names and she
changed certain features of the new
plan Most important of these was the
addition of a referendum on bond
issues and on the granting OF fran
chises. In Galveston these are matters
for the commission
A period of agitation and discussion
preceded the adoption Of the proposed
pan; there was a struggle before the
citizens succeeded in persuading the
State Legislature 10 grant the new
charter; but, In spite of vigorous op-
position, it was at last accomplished.
The plan was submitted 10 popular
vote in December. 1904. and, though the
vote was small, the opposition car
Red by a good majority; on March IS,
1905, the new charter was granted and
the first election under it took place
three months later.
Old Forms Retained.
The absence of airy sudden ana
sweeping change is shown in the re-
tention of many of the old forms.
though the substance is new. Houston
has five commissioners, as has Calves
ton, but they are still called the city
council" a mayor and four alder
men As In Galveston, the commits
sioners are elected at large and not by
wards. In Galveston they give only
part of their time: in Houston their
whole time is required and their sal
aries are twice what the other city
gives-s2, 400 each, and $4,000 to the may
The committees stand nominally as
before, on finance and revenue, police
and fire. water and light and health,
having each a chairman ard three oth-
er members; but, as matter Of fact.
the chairman is the administrative chief
of his department and the others leave
the management Of the business almost
entirely TO him
There are certain other differences.
one OF which is the greater power Of
the mayor in Houston In Galveston
the mayor ~preSlQcuL IL Only one OF IlNG
the chief, Il is true, but with only a
single vote and no vS~o. In Houston,
the mayor has both "a right to vote
as a member of the city council and
possesses the power to appoint all
heads of departments, subject TO con-
firmation by the four aldermen, and
may "appoint and remove ali employees
for cause, whenever, in his judgment.
the public interests demand, "and no
officer, whose office is created by or
dinance, shall hold the same for any
fixed term, but shall always be subject
to removal by the mayor, or may be re-
moved by the city council
City Council.
The "city council includes the mayer;
here is power enough to satisfy the
head of any corporation The city
council may increase or diminish the
compensation of all officers" except
themselves, and abolish entirely any
office at any time, except as above
mentioned" The city council may "es-
tablish any Office necessary, FIX its
salary, and define its duties" but amy
inc,uobent of any office, except the con-
froTIeT NAV be removed at any time,
by the mayor, with or without the con
currence or the council Houston IS
trying the experiment OF commission
Of FIVE. one OF whom, the mayor, has
great power. He may be suspended or
removed from office, however, by ma
iority of all the aldermen elected three
The commission, as in Galveston, may
be convened at any time Its sessions
are often very short. The meeting l
attended was unusually brief, lasting
not 0uite two minutes The proceedings
are businesslike and there is none of
the oId-time speech-maklng Tor the bene-
III of the public. The board meets,
transacts its business, and adjourns.
IL. = In,
their new commission is evident. from
the fact that proposition 10 pur-
chase and operate munlcipaI water
" orks plant, oVer~helInlngly voted
a majority of 70 ! in May, 1906, after
ten months of the new government,
The personnel of the commission is Of
interest H 3. Rice. mayor and head
of the present commission. was mayor
previously, but was unable to accom-
plish much under the old system. He is
a politician OF considerable ability. Wig
orOus and aggressive. ana man OF
an alderman under the previous admin
istratfon; before that he was a printer.
He is classed by citizens with Rice as
a combination Of politician ana bust
ness man. He has BEEN head OF the
water. light and health departments
until recently.
Treasury swatch Dog"
]. u. Castor, popularity known as the
father Of the commission system in
Houston, is a merchant, and was also
formerly an alderman He fought for
the new plan when It had few friends.
and after IL won was placed in charge
If the finances. That man Gas
said a citizen. saves US a lot Of money
every year He and the others refused
to pay the Brick trust two pIices for
paving brick, and finally bro&ght q
shipload from New York, to psevent
paving extartiOnate prices
James B. MarmiOn is a somewhat
younger ran. and is in charge OF
streets, bridges, and public grounds
"Marmion used to be blacksmith in the
Fifth ward. He was a good Sunday
school scholar and a good baseball
player; and later, a good blacksmith.