The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-08
COMMISSION RULE
CLARENCE N. OUsLHY DELIVER,
 -. ADDRESS EE ATLANTA.
Says In Government By Commissio There fs :. Little Hsunicinal Strife or Dissatisfaction.

AMEre E9 LhttAe MUntGfN0t
 Strife or Dissattsfaetlon.
 Atlanta, Jan.. 7---At the annual banquet of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce held here tonight Ciarencs M ousley. editor of The Forth Worth, Texas, Record, who was q resident. of Galveston when the conimissfon form of governf1ent for that city was estab- lished. was the principal speaker. His subject was "City government by com mission" In part he said: 4 ~
 City government by commission. or the Galveston plan as 1t has become to be known, because 1t had It's origin in Galveston after the disaster of Septeha- ber 1900. was born of necessity that always iinvents a. remedy in any crisis of American life ior government. That city had endured for many years the fnefficiency of aldcrmanic government,
 which inefficiency will develop wher. ever the peculiar American product, the ward politician, has his habitat, and he may be found wherever people gather in sufficient numbers to lose the touch of neiGhborly acquaintance. and wherever the -strivings of business tempt men to neglect the duties Of alert citizenship. There were periodt- cal upheavals and reform alministra- tions, but there was always the slow.
 but certain relapse into loose. if pot corrupt, ways" lft. tA Defining ooinmission government he said: 1@5fstsl "The philosophy of commission govs ernment Is just this. that five men, a1a chosen by the whole electorate and
 are wholly charged with the municipal responsibilittes. Their labors are
 divided into four departments. to wit: revenue and taxation or finances: fire
 and police; ,ssreets and alleys; water -n.u. or executive the official and respon-
 sibie. head Of the entire government, | While. these five men act as the gov- efning body, each man in his depart I ment is invested with large powers | pertaining to that department and any dereliction or short-coming Is jim mediateIy and directly attributed to him. In the adoption of ordinances
 regulations and rules of general con
 duct the commissioners act as whole The division of departments ta arbitrary. also the number of members that compose the Commission.
 Responsible to People.
 ''"The main point is that in commits sion government, with the whole gov l erning body elected by all the people and responsible to all the people VI
 minimize. if we do not entirely eliuai- nate, the pernicious influence of the ward politician who is able to muster
 following in his own neighborhooo for selfish reasons. and the stillf moro pernicious influence of the large conn
 mercial interest which Is tempted to corrupt weak men. or is held up by corrupt men and in either event de- bauches municipal government and deprivas the people of the cofnpense- ton justly due them for public priyt- ieEe."
 After giving in detail the plan of city government adopted at Galveston and of the success of the plan in other Texas cities, Mir. ouslsy said:
 T confidently declare that there iS less public dissatisfaction, and more community harmony in the commission cities of Texas than in any cities oi like size and similar environment on | the American continent. We have reached A state of larger tolerance greater confidence. and more neigh borly kindness because we have fovnc the means Of wise. economical. respon-
 sible and responsive municipal govern. ment. and as a consequence the good citizen has the more time 10 attend to his own affairs and the meddler and the busy body and the demagogue find | it difficult to get a hearing"