The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-24
URGES ADOPTION OF COMMISSION PLAN SAYS THAT THE PRESENT FORM / OF COVE RNMENT IS VERY
 CORRUPT.
Mayor of Spokane Pounces on the Present Form of Government in An
 Open Letter

Sl kane, Wash, Oct. 23-Cumb rous, Irresponsible and extravagant at best and an assurance of theft. inef
 hciency and waste if controlled by dishonest and incapable men. are a few of the terms employed by Mayor Nelson s. Pratt in an open letter to tue people of Spokane directing ar tention to the weaknesses of the pres ent system of municipal government and urging them to adopt the com mission plan. He also announces that he will appoint representative com. inittee in few days to investigate and report the general outline of new city charter primarily with a view 10 bringing the matter to an is. sue at special election early in 1910 This is in line with Mayor Pratt's recent declaration that he is ready to step out Of office. to which he was electt1 last May for term of two years in the event of the adoption of the commission plan, and is the result i Of the bitter quarrels among members of she city counCil and the board of public works. This opposition has not cnly handicapped the chief executive in carrying out his pledge to give the people of Spokane business admits
 tration, but has also delayed several i millions of dollars worth of street bridge and water system improve ments and other public work in yari
 ous parts of the city
 The full text ot Mayor Pratt's letter is appended:
 My experience tsix years) in the two departments of this eitys govern. ment, in the council and as mayor coupled with careful and intimate ob servation of it's workings in detail have persuaded me to the conclusion that our system is a failure As political organization there is no ex cuse for it's existence, because all It's functions are of business and aGmin- ! istiative rather than political na- i tnre. As an administrative organiza- lion. it Is cumDrCus. Irresponsible, di 'atory and extrayagant-in a word, it is totally inefh tent and inadequate Even when controlled by honest anu capable officials. such an organization cannot be successful, while if con trolled by dislonest and incapable men, it is doubtful fl any device human contriving affords greater op portunity and assurance of theft, in efficiency and waste.
 The two fun tions of government
 political and administrative, the first governing and the latter business doing, apply to municipal affairs in
 widaly different proportions Prob ably II is not too much to say that nineteen-twentieths of the things to be done by municipality belong to the latter class. The American poll ! tieal organization adapted to govern
 ing to legislating and to the laying down and enforcing rules of conduct and right as to persons and property ~-is wholly unnecessary and made quate when used for the transaction of municipal business.
 The checks and balances of the American system of political organiza.
 tion, when applied to the admInistra
 tive affairs of the city government l become checks and hindrances, diyin. ing or shifting the responsibility and producing irresponsbility The meth
 cd additionally deemed necessary in political government, when consider ing matters of general policy, results in an endless catalogue of municipal sins, both of omission and commission
 unimproved streets, broken pave.
 ments. defective sidewalks, made l quate sewer systems, delayed via ducts. insufficient water supply. ruin. ed laws, lack of proper control over public service corporations. and.
 worst of all, htat most conspicuous i blot on American government muni cipal corruption. It places no pro.
 mium upon official alettness, but in. stead is 8 direct incentive to official
 slothfulness, petty bickerIngs. cabals
 aud lntrisues.