The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-27
Prominent Citizens Talk .@
 Commission G0beYnmenf

COWm1SS1
 'What Is your opinion regarding the commission form of government for Bir- mngham?7 is the question being pro- pounded to citizens by Age-Herald re- porters. While many of the men thus approached have prefererd not to be in terviewed on the subject many are found willing to declare themselves in favor of the commission plan.
 Prominent among those favoring the commission form of government is A. H. Ford, president of the Birmingham Rail- way Light and Power company.
 q am in favor of the commission form of government on account of Greater Birmingham" said MT. Ford last night. "The commissioners will givs their en- tire time to the city and 1t is going to require the highest executive ability to handle the problems facing us in the forming and governing of Greater Bir- mingham.
 ''There are problems of finance, govern ment, sanitation and others which will re- quire the undivided attention of good ex- ecutive heads. By authorizing good sal aries for the position of commissioner men of exec ve ability may be secured. Under the a44ermanic system, however the aldermen without pay will not de- votes the same degree of interest to the handling of affairs as the commissioners would. I do not mean to say anything against the present board of aldermen, but I believe Greater Birmingham will give us council too unwieldly to handle
 Tt is better to concentrate matters and place the responsibility upon either three or five men than it is to spread it out among a great number who regard it but lightly
 R. F. Manly of the insurance company of R. F. Manly & Co.,. is another ad- vocate of the commission plan.
 "I am very decidedly for the commits sion form of government" remarked Mr. Manly Tt is no experiment, for 1t has been tried in many cities and all re- ports show 1t to have worked success fully It's need is vital to Birmingham's prosperity The city needs the concen- tration of affairs which it will give. It places responsibility upon a few men, whereas with board of aldermen there is practically no responsibility. The all dermen receive no pay for their services and therefore cannot devote much time to the cty's affairs. The commissioners would be well paid, which would insure the securing of good business men who
 
 J. D. Moore, president of the Moore & TIandley Hardware Co.,, is favorably inn pressed with the commission idea.
 While l have not given any too much thought to the matter still have studied 1t sufficiently to arrive at the belief that the commission form of government is lust what Birmingham needs,'' he said. 'The placing upon the shoulders of few men the weight of the city's affairs means that more serious thought will be given to their management than when it is spread out among 20 or 40 men. The operation of big city Is a serious propo- sition and headwork is needed there as in any other large corporation. It is even needed more perhaps. The average alderman has more than he can attend to In looking after his private business and therefore can give but little attention to the great mass of matters coming be- fore the council. A large salary for the commissioners will warrant men of abil- fty to seek the place and devote their whole time to it. The future presents many complicated matters to be worked out and the commission plan, in my opin- ion, presents the best plan for their proper solution
 Wilton T. Gaines, formerly of Birmins ham but who now travels out of Cincin- natl, stopped over in Birmingham yester- day to visit friends on his way home after spending several weeks in the west. MT. Gaines was in Galveston Just 8 few days before the severe storm which that city recently underwent.
 Asked what the feeling was relative to the commission form of government in Galveston, MT. Gaines replied that he did not inquire, not being particularly inter- ested, but remarked that If the commits sion plan had hurt the city any nobody could tell it. Speaking on the govern ment of municipalities by commissions. however, MT. Gaines said:
 Tt appears to be the common sense way of running the governmental machinery of city and I believe 1t Is the coming method of municipal government. Ex- perience teaches us that government by councils will always prove more or less objectionable. especially in large cities. The recent wholesale scandal in Philadel- phia aldermanic circles is an instance, and in smaller cities there are almost continually occurring little squabbles which are disastrous in a larger or small de- gree.
 Tn a great many cities the aldermen do not receive any compensation for their services. Common sense tells us that a man does not usually go into matter of that kind for his good health. Even if a man be absolutely upright and honest he runs for the position, very often. with the idea of furthering one of his pet ideas This is not exactly right, even though a man go ahead and serve faith fully after he gets what he wants, if he gets it.
 "The commissonership should be made an attractive position by a reasonable salary and this being the case good mea could be secured to serve on the body Any friction on a small commission could in nearly all cases be more speedily remedied than in large body. and in nine cases out of every ten matters would be