The Ocala evening star., 1911-05-30
MUNICIPAL BUSINESS MANAGER

The great objection to the commits /
sion form Of government is that il is !
bound to create an office-holding class,
and get the people out of practice in
attending to their own affairs. A new
broom always sweeps clean Commits
sions in city governments are new
brooms-they show their best work az
the start, and they have not been in
operation long enough to display the
evils that will come when the Office
holders feel firm in their places and
don't care what the people think of
their acts.
Staunton. Virginia. has tried an ex-
pertinent that is a distinct Improvement
on the commission, and might work
well in a small city, as ii would bring
ont business effectiveness without fast
ening any barnacles on the public craft.
Staunton Is a small city, one of the
most beautiful in the country and fam
ed for a variety of things. One of these
is the progressiveness of its citizens.
Some time ago these citizens thought
that the commission form of govern
ment should be tried. Others were in
favor Of the referendum and recall All
were in favor OF progressive govern
ment OF some sort and finally Staun-
ton worked out a solution Of it's own.
1t decided to employ a business man
ager, but did not do away with the
mayor or the city council. The alder
manic system was not interfered with.
There was simply to be a business man
ager who should report to the council
just as any business manager in any
corporation would report to the direc-
tors of the corporation and what was
done by the business manager had to
be homologated by the council
The gentleman employed was Mr.
Ashburner During his first year Of
work he more than saved to the city
his salary. He hired everybody that
was employed by the city. He bought
the coal, purchased the material for
paving the streets, entered into con-
tracts whereby private citizens could
get material cheap for paving the
sidewalks in front of their homes
made the fire department one of the
most efficient in the country and il
other ways was so successful that a
the end of his term of service he wa.
reelected and has been reelected an
nually ever sinces All the city council
did was to sit down and ratify the man
ayers acts. OF course there were kick
ers, just as there always are and pol
iticians who wanted friends appointed
to jobs or who wanted jobs themselve
and all the little would-be grafters VIII,
were sure that business manager wa
just the thing the town ought not t
have; and they were insistent enough
so insistent, in fact, that Mr.. Ashburne
has resigned his position. not becaus
he did not know how to meet these an
noyances, but because his health ha
given way under the strain of too muc
work and he is suffering from nervou
prostration.
From this, says the Louisville Cou
rier-Journal, to whom we are indebte
for this account, people must not gai
the impression that the Staunton sys
tenn is poor system.
1t has never been advocated excep
for small towns. Mr. AShburner, more
over, did more work than would usual
ly be done in towns of similar size. Fl
felt that a system was on trial as we
as himself, and it was his object
prove that the system was good. "
think that he has proved it, Everybod
who will go to Staunton and wal