Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-11-10
MILLER ON COMMISSION FORM
OF GOVERNMENT.

There is an active demand In
Grants Pass for literature concern
ing the commission plan Of city gov
ernment and In the absence OF the
commission charter, prepared by a
committee Of citizens and presented
TO the city authorities, which will
not be printed for something like
ten days from now, we give to our
readers extracts from an article by
Joseph Dana Miller In the Pacific
Monthly for September. The article
In question seemingly goes into every
detail and at this time affords much
desirable information for the average
citizen:
"The latest hope OF municipal re-
formers is the commission plan.
The name commission Ia unfortu-
nate, for It is not strictly a commits
sion, but a council elected by the city
at large, ward lines being eliminated.
With Des Moines the plan may be
said to have reached Its perfect de-
velopment, excepting only the Grand
Junction plan to be noted later. In
this city five commissioners are
elected to serve two years, one of
whom acts as mayor, the others as
heads OF departments. This favors
the concentration OF responsibility
In the commission and direct res
possibility In the heads OF depart
ments. It secures greater efficiency,
and to this efficiency Is added dem
ocracy by a law which may call for
the submission of all measures to a
direct vote Of the people.
Galveston had preceded Dos
Noines In the adoption Of the COM
mission plan by number OF years.
But the Galveston plan iic not pro-
vide for the initiative and referen-
DUN, and the members of the com
mission had at first been appolntive
and not elective or course with
that kind Of commission government
many Of the students OF the prob
lem had been long familiar. Mem
phis, after the yellow fever epidemic
OF 1878, had been governed by a
commission appointed by the gov
ernor.
But this was not the kind OF
government that was wanted, nor
even the kind that Mr.. j, @, Berry
hill was looking for But II was
during visit to Galveston that Mr.
Berryhill became interested In the
plan, and he reported II to the Des
Molnes Commercial club,
"The Iowa Legislature at flrst re
Jected contemptuously law enab
ling Des Moines and other cities o.
the state to organize under the com
mission plan, but later adopted I
much more sweeping measure be
cause statewide sentiment had beer
evoked. There had been no genera
referendum on the question, bu
there was no mistaking public senti
ment, OF the plan as perfected /
may be said that In It's general out
lines Il was suggested by Galveston
that the recall provision was Dor
rowod from Los Angeles, that tn
broader referendum had existed Il
Iowa under an old statute, and tha
the charter Of the City OF Dallas sug
gested the initiative and referen
DUN.
"rhe Galveston plan removed th
conduct OF the city government fror
the control of It's citizens, The con
mission one chosen was absolut
during It's term OF office. But tn
trainers OF tho Des Moinos charto
were quick TO see that without IN
submission OF its acts for revision b
the voters the plan was utterly M
democratic To be sure Galyesto
had secured good aud efficient SO,
ernmont under its plan. But this
possible under almost any Orrang,
ment until, under the strain Of to
great burden OF authority, mdt