Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-17
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A Kindly Criticism and Suggestion.

Mir. Editor: Will you kindly give me opportunity for defense of the com mission form of government, as I am deeply interested in this matter and desirous of having the city of Norwich enter upon the benefits of this i'm proved manner of conducting munich pal matters.
 The system approved by the court of common council at it's meeting last evening on recomm endation and by vote of the mayor is not the commis- sion form of government I make this statement so that any failure or dis satisfaction with the executive com mittee just created will not bring dis repute upon commission government.
 The essential feature of the commis- sion form of government is that men of fitness, regardless of party, shall be chosen to conduct the affairs of the city. The mayors commission was made up strictly on party lines, thus violating the cardinal principles of commission government.
 The great second benefit of commits sion government is that responsibility can be placed upon some department head for inef1ciency of his department and employees. In the mayors new scheme no responsibility can be so placed Nor can the responsibility even be placed upon regular committees, for they are subordinate to the executive committee. In the shuffie the respon- sibility for any department will be lost.
 The scheme proposed by the mayor Is nothing new It has been worked before It is nothing more or less than party caucus. Every mayor for years has used these methods. In the new executive committee there is this difference, however, that every bill for every department goes to the execu- tive committee. This puts the respOnsl- bilfty for action on a large body of men who cannot be conversant with the details of every department. It belttles the regular committees and puts them in the attitude of indiffer- ence.
 Mayor Thayer states that he got the idea of executive committee from the United States Steel corporation. It is good idea, but the United States Steel corporation appoints the greatest minds on it's board of directors to be the executive committee.
 Criticism is easy. This letter is not written for that purpose. It has two objects in view. I have accomplished one, I hope which is to defend the commission form of government from the example before us.
 My second object is to show how easily the new mayor could have in augurated the commission govern ment. The five departments where I Public works, amusement fire, police, and finance. Taking these commit tees as nominated by the mayor, should make the head of these com mittees members of an executive com mittee and given them absolute power of appointment and executive direction of their departments and full respon- sfbility for the same The executive committee would be then constituted as follows: Alderman Gebrath, police and public works; Alderman Ely fire department, police department; Alder man Parker finance department; AL derman Whiting, amusement. The mayor would be a member of this ex ecutive committee. His duties would be to preside and cast a deciding vote where there was A tie. The executive committee would transact the business of the city subject to the approval of the court of common council and would change the heads of the depart