The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-05
NEW TERM BEGUN
BY MACE ARLAND
Tenure of Office Will De-
pend Upon Decision
of Taft.
PROPOSED CHANGE
AROUSES INTEREST
Business Men, Pending Announce
ment From President, Are
Seeking Information.

Seeking Information.
CONTINUED from First Page)
10 the science OF government. Oppon-
ents of this claim that home rule 10
the thing the people of the District want
and deserve.
In view of the arguments on the ques-
ton, the views Of some of the progress
sive magazines are at this time en-
The outlook for July. 1908. says:
In spite of the natural conservatism OF
cities. the so-called Galveston plan OF
municipal government continues to
called. is bassd on the principle OF CEN
Trailing power and responsibility. II
provides for the abolition of the ward
aldermen ana for the concentrating Of
executive and legislative functions In a
board of i've men elected on a general
ticket, each of whom becomes the head
of a department. BY doing away with
The old system OF checks and balances
a much higher degree OF efficiency has
been obtained.
Emergency Measure.
Adopted In 1901 in Galveston. Tex. as
an emergency measure after the de-
structive hurricane, it worked so sue
- cessfuIly that debt-ridden Houston. OF
the same State. took it up. and obtained
charter along similar lines in 1905
Fort Worth. Dallas. and I'll Paso, all OF
Texas. followed in quick succession
Last year the States of Iowa and Kan
sas enacted laws making it possible for
cities to adopt a modified Galveston
plan.
These acts have been taken advantage
OF by Beavenworth. in Kansas, and by
Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. In Iowa
These three cities elected their commits
sions in April of this year. In the Texas
cities uniformly successful results have
been reported. There have been no
scandals. and the municipal govern
ments have been administered efficient
~. The other towns which have adopt
ed the plan have not had Sufficient
experience for generalization II may
he noted. however, that in Des MoineS,
where the ticket supported by the orig
3nal promoters Of the commission plan
was defeated, the administration has
made a remarkably creditable start.
A Des Moines newspaper. the Capital.
bore testimony few days ago 70 the
TACT that the. city had the cleanest
streets in It's history. The commission
has reduced the price for electric lights
Tor streets. parks, and public buildings;
* has reorganized the police and fire de-
merit system: 1t has adopted a uniform
system OF accounting IN all city depart
1nents, and II has introduced a higher
level Of appointments.
Charters Interesting.
These newly made charters are of in
tercst because of various Innovations
they embody. aside from that of COM
bining legislative and executive fune-
tons Thus. in Dallas, the auditor is
nominated by a board made up OF the
presidents OF the banks of the city, sub
1ect TO confirmation by the commission
ers. but not removable by them A
referendum on franchises, provided in
the Houston law. has been provided in
other cities and in the Kansas statute.
The referendum principle has been ex-
tended to cover all legislation in Fort
Worth and in the Iowa law. The initia-
tive, too, has been provided In Iowa, so
that on petition OF p per cent Of the
ordinance asked for or submit IL to a
vote Of the people.
Another measure for popular control
1s the recall, invented IN Los Angeles
five years ago and now on trial in Fort
Worth. Dallas, Cedar Rapids Dies
Moiness and numerous California cities.
Under this. provision any elective Of
1lcer may be forced TO stand for re-
election-or TO vacste his office-on a
petition OF 20 or . per cent OF the vot-
ers.
Are Significant.
These three provisions, the initiative.
the referendum. and the recall. are Of
especial significance. since. If they
prove workable. they may be the means
Of a very desirable Improvement in mu-
nicipai government-the lenethening OF
The term OF office OF elective Officials, so
that they NAV have the opportunity to
work out their policies. and may gain
the added efficiency made possible by
experience
At present the chief objection urged
against the lensthening OF the term
is that the pee pie have no control over
their officials. and that dishonest men
might plumber the city Il they were in
office four years. The same objection
IS often urged against the centrasizing
or authority under the commission plan
Both these objections are satisfactorily
met BY these provisions for popular
control.
Article In Arena
The Arena for October. 1907, says:
Galveston. Tex. was one Of the first
cities to break away from the corrupt
and inefficient rule Of professional polit-
icians. Her commission government has
been fully and sympathetically described
5n recent issue of the Arena by George
Wharton James, so IL is only necessary
for US TO point out its serious weakness.
So long as Galveston possesses a COM
mission composed only Of honorable, uD-
right, competent, and conscientious Of
ficials. the city wiz have good govern
1nent. but the same may be said Of the
autocratic government OF various rulers
OF the past--mcn like Marcus Aurelius
and King Alfred, for example.
But all history shows Conclusiveiy that
in proportion as officials feel themselves
under the immediate control Of a GER
lain class, whether an autocracy, an
hereditary aristocracy, or the people.
they will become responsive to those
who are able TO make OF unmake them.
And, furthermore. the only way for the
interests OF all the people TO be con-
cd ID AT q ffffa fft