The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-02-26
COMMERCE AND LABOR DE-
PARTMENT HAS BEEN
INQUIRING
Civ Governments of Galveston,
Dallas and Des Moines Given
Particular Attention COnclu-
sion Is That Commission Plan
l. BETTER Than Old Way.


Of CITY government, brought so promi
rortly to the front by the failure O
congress in administering the affair
of tbe District Of Columbia. hav'
oonsed an investigation by agents O
tbe department Of commerce and Labor
Of the so-called plan Of commission
,,overnment' Particular studies have
been made of the Galveston and Dial
los Texas, and Des Moines, Iowa
Mans of government.
The reports show that there is &
marked difference between the Calves
TN plan and that adopted by cities like
nalIas and Des Moines The former
was the pioneer Of the commission idea
Of citv government, but it lacks some
Of fine features which have since beer
found to be advisable. All are alike
in concentrating the functions of gov.
eminent in the hands of four commits.
soners and mayor These five men
have the power to levy taxes, make
estimates, appropriate the funds &C
cording to estimates, and then to spend
the money.
After seven years trial Galveston
finds the form of commission govern.
ment an entire success. Although the
commission goes before the people in
that city every two years for re-elec-
toll. the same men are serving as COM
missioners now who first went into
office. Every two years the people Of
Galveston Indicate by their votes conf
dence in the administration Of their
commission.
Meantime city improvements in the
way of pavements, grade raising, sew
ers, lights, water and fire apparatus
have been carried on in an entirely sat-
isfactory manner, while the city's debt
has been decreased. When the COM
mission took over the government the
city was bankrupt and there was a
floating Indebtedness. The city's credit
was so poor that it was impossible to
raise money even to pay the salaries of
the aldermen. Now the city can bor-
row money at par and it's securities are
in demand in all Eastern money mar
kets.
When Dallas, Fort Worth, Des
MONIES and other cities interested in
this movement investigated the Gal
weston plan they found what they re-
garded as one serious defect. There
was no check on the power of the com
mission except the possibility Of voting
its members out of office once in two
years If one commissioner or all the
commissioners determined to betray
the people during those two years, no
restraint could be placed upon them.
II public franchises were to be grant,
ed, commission like that of Calves
ton could turn over these franchises to
favored parties on any terms it might
desire.
Accordingly, Des Moines, Dallas and
The other imitators Of the Galveston
commission plan added what amounts
10 the referendum and recall. Import
ant franchises before they become eff
leetlve, must be ratified by majority
vote OF the citizens. A mayor or a
commissioner who, during the term of
his Office, fails to give satisfaction may
De recalled" That is, upon the pc
utlon OF a certain per cent of the
'ltE voters general election must be
'aleu and he must go before the peo-
PIE. Ii he fails to secure a necessary
majority Of their votes he is out of
olliee. Another man is voted in to take
his place.
Inc working of the commission plan
VI government in these cities of Sec
onudry size has been all that could be
UTs,reu. Its first effect has been the
@Ooil'lon of graft and the party spoils
system City administration is reduced
W 'le business of corporation. The
m nd thing, however, which is accom-
p aa by this plan is the fixing and
ronoel'ratlon of responsibility. Every
nl'ii' woman and child in these cities
nO"s who is responsible for every
ment. wy
oh -ney Know which commissioner has
o,,aise OF the police; which the streets
+ Ilu ID alley cleaning department; which
49, o Isllts and which the finances. If
nar+ ,lins IS wrong in any of these de-
man inents the responsibility is on one
nlan !, lie cannot take refuge under the
nlio Mi" ' Lid the city council has not sup
CO.., su 'he money. He cannot send a
reau. oooAuAi1oOo W.
mskaS same same man levies assessments,
tba AeS appropriations and accounts fo1
psoa "4ner In which the money is
nm. lie must show results or he
go as' convince the public that he has a
tho LEX, excuse. If he fails to do one OF
nv psiief he loses his place.
ADM. nrst thing noticeable in city
cona nistered under this Des Moines
Of thn :n plan is the responsiveness
tbOn we city government to the public
get I Is What the people want they
Of t,vd Il they will agree to an increase
mbI; aes they can have more money fo1
Spent uolngs. If they want money
II i vi cleaning streets they get it
the oi - The desire of the majority tina,
WORK. 'y own its gas plant or its water