The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-21


He waits only to ascertain the results
In cities which have tried it. Much
simpler than the mayor and council
system, ii appeals to him from the
first; and the verdict Of success, pro-
nounced even by conservatives. wherever
the plan has been tried, stamps the
..eai OF successful experience upon it.
Task Is Not Hopeless.
The old feeling that municipal gov
eminent is a hopeless mess and not
capable of Improvement or reform yields,
in the flash of his sure instinct, to the
knowledge that here is the chance to
change the whole plan; to locate re-
sponsibility with certainty; to tell when
he is getting a good administration; to
know where his money goes. And the
steady rate at which commission gov
eminent is being adopted means a
prompt comprehension of the vast i'm
provement in the proposed governmental
machinery over the old way of doing
things. rather than undue speed in
taking up a new idea,
For the comm ssion idea IT, essence
means:
1. All the municipal pows. in the
hands Of a few men, usual, i've, who
and, collectively. the legislative as well
as the final administrative authority for
the city.
:. These mea are elected by the voters
and are responsible to them. In the
nrSt place. there are ONLY five men 10
choose. instead of a score, so the voter
can know Shom he is voting for; rlen
when elected, he knows whom to hold
responsible; and, with the addition of
the recall "a powerful check on the
= n III
(which enables the people to exercise
legislative functions directly on imDOr-
taEt Tnatters). ne feels thai the wires
ar. no longer crossed; he knows 10
wI.en' to SPEAK. and the commissioner
at Che other end, hears. The Gluten no
longer slips-all the machinery is con-
neCted up.
3. Some method OF abolishine partisan
politics helps 10 make plg-in the local
issues. In Galveston, a strong civic
CLUB, composed Of public-spiritsd bust
ness men. backs Tor re-election the
con mlSSioners who have given salts
faction, and thus obviates the necessity
OF their making their own fight for Of
fice. In Des MOines a nonpartisan pri-
mary ana election works toward IN,
same end; it is not possible to vote a
party ticket straight but each name
must be marked separately.
City Civil Service.
l. Finally, a city civil service insures
freedom from the worst form OF politics
in administration.
5. The publication Of all proceedings
of the council or Of the cor missioner
of finaDce still further aids the voter TO
decide as to the efficiency OF his govern
ment; and. because he pays his repre-
sentatives, he is stin more likely 70
hold them strictly responsible for the
performance of their duties
IT.,
periority of the new plan over the cid
is found In the close connection of TIE
vcter with TIE government. The aver
age voter really chooses his representa-
tives. for he is not confused by the
multituoe of offices to ill. and can
intelligently pick a small number. After
they are chosen they may be recalled;
their ordinances may be subjected To
the voters will by a referendum. and
published proceedings and statements,
palmer and better than formerly
was the custom. enable the average Citi~
zen to determine what sort of return
he is getting for his taxes.
Too much power In a few hands? 10
more than was formerly exercised by
the city boss or a cIi.me OF aldermen.
while the commissioners can be and
are held strictly accountable. The ex-
ercise Of legislative and administrative
power by the same body undesirable
IL is scarcely necessary to point out
that under the usual mayor and coun-
ell system the members of each council
committee do the same thing, passing
ordinances as members Of the council.
while each committee supervises "A
branch Of the administrative work
The Des MOines and Galveston plans
simply substitute a small council elected
at large for large council elected BY
FHl - q Lrs.-
the place Of a council committee; even
sometimes, as in Houston, retaining the
title Of committee chairman. The
actual administ rative work is carried
out by the superfntendents and en-
ployes; only the supervision is ia the
hands of the commissioners. The new
plan costs too much? At Houston, Gal
weston, Des MOines, and in other cities
q ey show you quite conclusively that
the commissioners have saved the city
the amount Of their salaries severai
times over.
Does Not Insure.
The plan does not insure good govern
rnent; no mere system can do that. The
people must be alert. interested ia their
city and its administration and ready to
act If their int are not guarded.
No scheme OF government can take the
place of these qualities on the part of
citizens But what the new plan does
is TO closely connect the people and the
governing body. It enables the voters
to really choose their. men, to judge
their acts with a fair degree of accuracy
and TO held them responsible for the
kind of government given, retiring the
commissioners, il necessary. or refusing
approval of their laws
This fact inspires the hope that
American cities can be, after all,
well administered, new feeling
that here is a plan which gives
the average citizen chance TO de-
termine who shall represent him and
afterward to decide whether he is being
adequately represented. This Is why
commission government is spreading so
-apldIy and so steadily, and why the
results so far obtained have been so
favorable. Every student Of govern
rlent and every thoughtful taxpayer
will sean with interest reports OF the
operations OF this plan In other cities,
debating whether It's principle cannot
be applied. with variations, II reeded,
to his own city.