Henderson gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1911-19??, 1911-11-23
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
neeting o. the National Munici-
pal League Review Of discus
sions ir the Gold Leaf Pans

for progress.
The editor Of the Gold Leaf
sent me to Richmond last week
lat my own eXpense) to report
the seventeenth annual meeting
O. The National Municipal
League. Since my return | have
been gratined to learn that |
might also have been sent by
the Civic League of the town. In
writing this notice | shall con-
slider myself reporter for the
League as we'll as for the Gold
Leaf.
The meetings Of the League
were held in the Jefferson Hotel,
beginning on Monday evening,
and continuing until noon on the
following Thursday. There were
in attendance about sixty dele
gates and members, and there
were presented not less than
twenty papers, dealing with
various phases Of municipal life
and activity. Many Of those
who took part in the program
were Of national reputation, such
as Hon. Charles j. Bonaparte,
former Attorney General Of the
United States, Prof. Charles E.
Merriam, University Of Chicago,
DR.. Albert Bushnell Hart, Har-
ward University. 1t was no small
honor that Attorney T. NJ. Pitt
man, of our town, was given a
place on this program. His val
liable paper, which called forth
many favorable comments, will
appear in these columns, begin
ming next week, and should be
carefully studied by all who are
interested in civic righteousness.
1t would be impossible in a
brief report to give an adequate
idea of the ground that was COW
cred in the discussions. The
titles of a few of the papers will
suggest their intensely practical
nature: american Municipal
Progress" The Problems of the
Small Cities, Especially in the
South" "Antitoxin for Munich
pal Waste and Corruption" "Mu-
nicipal Finances and Health;'
Housing, Health, and Morals;;"
Civic Education;'' Police and
Liquor Problems" The papers
will be published in the quarter
ly reports of the League, and
will constitute an encyclopedia
Of civic, information. They
should be made available to the
citizens Of this and every other
community in the land.
[ shall endeavor to sum up my
impressions Of the meeting IN
der the following three heads:
/. Scientific Management in
Municipal Affairs. Special at
tenti0n is called 70 that portion
of Mr.. PiCtman's paper dealing
with this question. The hand o.
the scientific experts seen every
where today except in the con
duct Of public business. Our
great corporations would become
bankrupt in q year if their busI-
ness were placed in the hands Of
the laundering, incompetent, not
to say INSCRIPTIONS, officials who
direct our civil affairs. Our
moral and material resources
can never be conserved till we
become sane enough to put the
public business Of our cities in
the control of experts RESPONSE
bic to the public will.
2. The Commission Form of
Government. To bring about
the above named results, there
must be adequate municipal ma
chinery. This we have in the
commission form of government.
On this point the committee of
experts and the entire member
ship of the league are agreed.
The old form of city govern
ment, composed of councilmen
and mayor, has failed misera-
bly,. 1T is guaranteed to fail. 3"
The commission form of gov
eminent, resorted to eleven
years ago by the stricken city of
Galveston, and since adopted by
140 American cities, is simple,
easy of operation, and has prov
ed itself the most effective in
strument yet discovered for cor
recting civic abuses. Gov. VIII
son says it cannot be a mere ac-
cident that the best governed
cities in the world have the COM
mission form. There is no eS-
sential feature Of this plan of
government that is novel or I'M
tried. 1t consists merely of a
commission, composed of a small
number of men, usually five,
elected by the city at large, with
authority to fill all minor offices
and TO conduct the entire huSi