The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1911-06-24


Allied with public spirit that when the
bonds were issued for the rehabilitation
Of the community, In spite Of the grew.
ious losses personally sustained. they
bought more than q million dollars of
the city = bonds. In many eases even
laboriug men and washerwomen invest
cd their mites In bonds of small denomi
nation, buying them Of the county at
par when they might rave bought them
at 81 in the open market. With such
public spirit as this there Is little won
der that every obstacle was laid low
and every difficulty pushed out Of the
way by the courageous people Of the
city.
When the commission began IT, Ia.
tors there was a total debt Of $1,000.
400, ~, 100000 Of a floating debt. With.
M two wears the latter was wiped out.
Since the flood s2.775.OOo Of bonds were
,surd aud sl.073,OOO was spent in per.
unncn Improvements out Of current
revenues with 100000 additional for
u'hr expenses growing directly out Of
the flood. Today The outstanding bonds
" Galveston amount 10 $4,000 II
follows that Galveston has been able to
pay out a total ~ nearly s3,0OO.Oo0 in
rinc wears and over and above the ordi
AIRY current expenses. Add to the pub
iIc Improvements the expenditures of
individual citizens. with the amounts
contributed by the county ~ Galveston.
md the total j. approximately " ,000
ger capita. With all it. splendid show
ing Galveston mas been able to malo
% on y tax rate Of ell on the 500 u
valuation.
The Galveston system has none Of
the innovations that have been added
hy cities which have more recently
adopted the commission plan. II has
neither the initiative, the referendum.
the recall, the civil service, nor the non.
partisan election plan. II simply wipes
uu' old ward lines. makes the city the
unit Of representation and puts it's al
fair, In the hands of five commissioner.
who are elected by the people at large.
one IT these H. chairman OF the board.
with the title Of mayor.president. The
other four ARE placed at the heads Of
the -four remaining departments, the
mayor president heading the 6fth. II
= generally understood beforehand
which department each commissioner
will head The board possesses all the
authority ~ the usual city council.
Galveston, unlike many other com
uJ..ion.poverned cities, does not require
los commissioner 20 give their whole
imr 20 the city. They are required
'u have fixed hours at the city hall. hut
otherwise are free 20 engage IN private
business. This, say the people of Gal
weston. enables them 20 command for
heir city government the abilities Of
hc best and most successful husiuc-,
men. Their commissioner Of finance aud
"yonue for instance, j. president Of
.our large husiur>. concerns, including
,ur of the leading banks If the city. II
would take thousand, 0f dollars 10 com
uaud the exclusive services of such 70
man, vet Galveston gets him for ~ ,2Oo
The city has shown a remarkable Il
lolI'y toward the men who have lahored
D. successfully in its rehabilitation Most
u the commissioner have been re- elect
al with each recurring election II il
rue that Mayor Landes was defeated
~ the last election. and il i- claimed
ha, hi. opponent had IN the widr.opcu
rIrmcu, behind him. But The new may
~ was q Judge on the bench. one NJ the
most widely tunwu secret order men iu
that country and o mixer of the most
engaging type. But that Ca, 'stou
.'.ll enjoying 'he same wise and ben"
nccut municipal rule hat has character
,cd the past decade is at'es,ed by ~
cry one who kuows conditions there.
n va. only u year or two after Gal
rr.'or began - commission experiment
hat 'he whole world wn- considering
'ho phenomenal success that had chnrac
'eri5ed the efforts 20 rehahilitaie it,
finances. rebuild its destroyed district,
aud restore confidence in ~ future. This
Ted other progressive cities 10 study III"
Galveston situation, and TODAY the mil
lions ~ urban residents who have been
introduced 20 good city government hy
reason of the expansion of IA" Galv"st
uu idea feel that the storm was per
.ur- q blessing In disguise.
Galveston attrihutrs most of H.
.u'rudti rise from threatened ohlitera.
20 the wisdom Of the men who
have constituted its governing body.
But outsider. assert that some ~ u, AZ
Iru.t i- 20 ho attributed 20 the public
spirit that we. rngrndercd by 'hr flood
Tine city e., well content with IT, pres
.r' situation and cares nothing Tor the
Row feature, that other cities have On
,rufrrd onto the commission plan IN
f,r .f. ,,mpi" system the city has re-
covered itself thoroughly. aud stand,
today with iis face "a the future, with
rho prospect. ~ q growth that will, ia
'hc future, make n one of the most i'm
portant commercial ceuters ~ the south.