Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-27
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.
Condensed Explanation of the More
Advanced Form of Municipal Ad-
stration.
ministration.

Advanced Form of Municipal Ad-
ministration.
Dallas Chamber of Commerce,
Gentlemen:-
l have before me your request for
nv opinion on the Commission form of
Municipal Government, as Illustrated
by the working of our commission.
The Dallas commission is an evolu-
ton from a more complex municipal
administration.
The city government formerly con-
sisted of MAYOR with the executive
power, except where this was lodged
with officers chosen by popular ballot,
by whom, in the aggregate, the may
ors power was greatly limited and
CITY council. elected by wards, with
the customary legislative jurisdiction
of such bodies. Afterwards commits
soners appointed by the governor
were provided, who had direct charge
of police and fire protection, and di-
vided with the mayor veto power
over such action of the council as af-
fected franchises.
Such machinery was found cumber-
some. inefficient, (because one part Of
ten interfered with another) and un-
duly expensive in view of the results
obtained from it. The waste of money,
without adequate benefit to the pub
lie, bred a spirit of distrust, which
think, had little or no foundation, IN
fact, but it rendered difficult the vot-
ing of bonds for necessary improve
ments, and generally discouraged the
progressive spirit.
All the governmental machinery was
swept away three years ago, and the
commission was substituted. This
commission is clothed with the whole
executive, legislative and judicial pow
er of the city which it administers.
acting either as a body or through its
individual members, or by the commits
sion.
The governing body consists of the
MAYOR and four commissioners, one OF
whom is in immediate charge of each
chief department of municipal affairs.
This direct responsibility rests on one
commissioner as to finance; on anoth-
er as to police and fire protection; on
another as TO water supply; and on
another as to streets and bridges. IT
is true the mayor and the whole board,
share in a measure the burden OF each
commissioner, but not to the extent
that accountability for the result ac-
complished in the several departments
is shifted from the commissioner in
| immediate control.
Our experience of three years has
proven that the system in force is
| greatly superior to those which had
preceded it. The ideal, no doubt, has
not been reached, perhaps never Will
be. The city's business is not capable
of being systematiZed and transacted
exactly along the line used by the best
managed private corporation. The
same freedom of action on the part OF
| its officers cannot be exercised, be-
| cause tnelT tenure uSptlIuS up'il 'i'
appreciation of a wider constituency
whose conflicting interest must he, in
a measure, compromised, in formulat-
! ing plans for public business, and
then a public corporation is not pri-
marily for money making, but is in
stituted essentially for spending money
| to the best advantage.
The personnel of our commission was
carefully selected by an organization
effected by the best citizenship for that
purpose, and this body eXerted its in
| nuence to secure their election. Parti-
san policies had no place in the move
ment, and so far has been kept away
| from the commission, and to this fact.
| think, much of the success of the
commission is due.
The feature distinguishing the COM
mission form of government is the
concentration of power. This concen-
| tration. i'm the hands of the right men,
has resulted in great good. lntrusted
to unworthy or incapable men the
power of our commission might, think,
be abused more greatly than if more
distributed. To successfully administer
this system men experienced in affairs
and of unquestioned integrity are the
prime factors.
our commission has fully met the
expectation of those who formed it.
Without increase III the tax rate, n