The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-10-20
SPOKANE MAYOR
. FOR COMMISSION
EayOrs Change in City Government to
Avoid Cumbersome Methods of
Council Rule.

uiSnOneSt ana lneapaDle men, are Il
few of the terms employd by Mayor
Nelson S. Pratt in an open letter to
the people of Spokane directing at
tention to the weaknesses of the pres
MT system of municipal government
and urging them to adopt the commits
sion plan. He also announces that he
will appoint representative commit
tee in a few days to investigate and
report the general outlining of a new
city charter, primarily with view to
bringing the matter to an issue at "a
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
elected last May for a term of two
years, in the event of the adoption of
the commission plan, and is the re-
suit of the bitter quarrels among
members of the city council and the
board of public works. This opposi-
ton has not only handicapped the
chief executive in carrying out his
pledge to give the people of Spokane
busnss administration, but has also
delayed several MILLIONS of dollars
worth of street. bridge and water
system improvements and other public
work in various parts of the city.
The full text of Mayor Pratt's letter
is appended:
r"My experience (six years) in the
two departments of this citys' govern
flent, in the council and as mayor,
coupled with careful and intimate OBJ
servation of it's workings in detail.
have persuaded me to the conclusion
that our system is a failure. AS
nnlitipoI pi1 to.
cuse for it's existence, because all its
functions are of a business and adj
ministrative rather than a political ma
ture. AS an administrative organiza-
ton, it is cumbrous, irresponsible,
dilatory and extravagant--in a word,
1t is totally inefficient and inadequate
Even when controlled by honest and
capable officials, such an organization
cannot be successful, while if con-
trolled by dishonest and incapable
men, it is doubtful if any device of
human contriving affords greater OPP
portunity and assurance of theft, in
efficiency and waste.
u4 1.-THE two functions of government,
political and administrative, the first
governing and the latter business do
ing apply to municipal affairs in wide
pioPoItlOIS. IIODdDly IL
ID not too much to say that nineteen
twientieths of the things to be done
by municipality belong to the lat
ter class. The American political or
ganization adapted to governing--to
1egisating and to the laying down and
enforcing of rules of conduct and
right as to peWons and property---is
wholly unnecessary and inadequate
when used for tho cf Of
nieipal business
THE checks and balances of the
American system of political organ
ization, when applied to the admins
trative affairs of the city government,
become checks and hindrances' divid-
ing or shifting the responsibility and
producing responsibility 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 commits
son-unimproved streets, broken
pavements, defective sidewalks mad
equat sewr systems, delayed viaducts,
insufficient water supply, ruined laws,
lack of proper control of public SER
vice corporations, and, worst of all,
1can government-munici corrup-
ton. 1t places no premium upon Of
fetal alertness, but instead is direct
incentive to official slOthfulness, petty
chickering's, cabals and intrigues
I'm our city government we do vast
quantities of business in the legisla-
tive manner, which, to be successful
or econimical, must be conceived and
executed by the same man OF group of
men in the Strictly Administrative man
ner. We pave a street with all the leg
islative formulate of proceedings at
tndant upon the preparation and pas
sage of tariff measure or a criminal
code.
In recent years, the proper solution
of this impossible situation has APP
parently been found by some Ameri-
can cities. The general scheme adopt
d has been to concentrate in one email
body of mn, chosen by the entire cleo
torat, all tn administrative and gov
ernmental functions of the city. AS
d means of effective efficiency, such
q plan represents the best that AM
erican business experience has devel-
oped. Elected by the popular vote and
subject to recall, such body is fully
responsive to the people. If there
is added to this, as a part of the gen.
eral plan, the initiative and referen-
dunn, full assurance of the represent
.tative quality of the body is procured.
"On the other hand, the ample
bowers and responsibilities of the po-
sitions are sufficient to attract men
of greater ability and caliber than are
ordinarily obtained under our pres
ent plan. The experience of the
,cities that have adopted the system
here suggested is altogether favorable
to 1t.
Upon the considerations stated, I
am convinced Spokane should take
usteps to change its form of govern
'ment to one of the kind already in
Dictated and that the change should
Sc effected with all reasonable ex-
petition To that end l purpose, with
IN a few days, to name a committee
to investigate and report as soon as
practicable upon the general plan and
= outline of a proposed charter, such as
/ have herein suggested