The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-06
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
Results Already Attained N Repre-
sentative Cities

In Galveston five years of the mod
ern method showed that the annual
expenses of the city government had
been reduced nearly one third; the
city had saved a million dollars: both
the tax rate and the city debt had
been reduced; a new system of sewers
had been installed. a new and effi-
cient health department had been
created; the area of paved streets
had been greatly extended; there had
been no peculation. no fraud, no boss
system. and in every way Galveston
had become a better city to live in.
In Houston. the first year of the
new plan showed that the saving ef-
fected had enabled the city to pay
100000 of Indebtedness. while the
tax levy was reduced twenty cents
in the 500. At the same time the
public improvements effected were
the greatest in the history Of the city.
and the appropriations for such work
exceeded the records. AS one indi-
cation Of the new order, 1 may men
tion that in one year Houston laid
six miles of new street paving and
paid for II without issuing a dollars
worth OF bonds.
DES MONIES.
In Des Moines. the general disgust
with the old method of government
was so great that when the question
of adopting the new was being sgitat-
ed. placards appeared In the streets
bearing only the words "it Can't BE
Any Worse Than This" and all mon
knew and appreciated what was
meant. After year Of the new plan,
the Des Moines Register and Leader.
a newspaper OF conspicuous fairness,
reviewing the advantages and disad-
vantages OF the innovation, conclud-
ed that "Des Moines. is. In fact, the
most economically and most honest
ly managed city of Its size In the Mid
die West" The old city government
had left affairs in such a tangle that
an issue of s1S0.00O Of bonds to pro-
vide for the floating Indebtedness was
necessarily the first step Of the new
managers; the first year of their work
showed that all of this extravaganza
had been excised, and economy had
taken the place of helter-skelter ex-
travagances. Previously there had
been In the general fund an annual
deficit Of from $4,000 to $25,OOO;
this had been converted into a sur
plus: none of the funds reported a
deficit.
The collecting of license taxes,
which, with other duties. had been
much neglected under the old city
government. had been carefully look
ed after by the new. Eery department
showed increased efficiency and an
increased total of buiness transacted
at decreased cost. Public improve
ments had cost less and had been
pushed farther. In brlck-paving, for
instance. the expense had been re-
duced by seven cents a yard, and In
asphalt-paving by two cents; and
more Of each had been laid than ever
before. The cost of curbing had been
cut one and a half cents a foot Un-
der the old government the city paid
TO the gas company $24,27S.66 for
i.113 street lamps. under the new
s19.475.33- for Lilo lamps; under
the old government seventy-five dol
lars year for each street electric
lamp, under the new sixty-five dol
lars.
The city lived within it's income, a
condition that had blessed IL but once
before In a generation. Not one ap-
preparation had been exceeded. The
water rates had been reduced from
thirty TO twenty cents a thousand gal
Ions. Police and fire departments
had taken on a new efficiency; the
city began To show a new front OF
good looks. No boss. no machine,
and no scandal marred the situation,
and men that had sought so long in
vain for good government began to
believe that at last they had found it.
SIOUX FALLS.
In Sioux Falls. the new system
seems to be Viewed with practically
unanimous satisfaction. Three results
are already apparent. There will be
saving I'm city expenses caused
chiefly by the consolidation of offices;
there has been a noticeable increase
OF efficiency In all the departments:
public improvements have been both
stimulated and conducted upon a CO.