The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-16
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THE COMMISSION FORM.

~ vi RAiAAA AhENDtMtt ~
The editor Of the Eureka Springs
Iimes-Echo has been giving the com
mission form OF government some
thought but evidently, has studied
il only sufficiently to conceive false
notions as TO what it really consists
In. He sees In Il good points but
unfortunately, is frightened BY a fear
that r der its operations there might
be q surrender OF the democratic prin-
ciple OF government upon which our
government is founded and the sub
stitution therefor OF "a system which
would lead 10 disast .r He says.
- Not a single city that
mas tried the commission form Of gov
ernment Is ready or willing 10 give
ID up.
1T does seem that men who have
made study Of city governments
who have taken time and pains to
pick out Of the governments of sue
cessfu municipalities the good points.
throwing the bad away: men of
sound sense and mature business
iudgment-it il does seem. that such
men ought in the very nature OF
things make a better success in gov
erning a city than the average citi-
zens selected by the voters for that
purpose
"Bat then, on the other hand up
bobs the un-American idea of taking
the affairs of government ont of the
hands OF the people IS il possible
That monarchy Is right that the peo-
pie are uct 'apable of self-govern-
ment? II N say that government
by commission Us best. then we must
admit that the people cannot govern
themselves properly Then what be
comes OF our American boast thatt he
people rule2"
This IS the bugahoo that has frisat-
ened many well meaning people-the
fear that in the commission form of
government there turks danger. that
ii is departure from original prin-
ciples, from The lines TO which We
have been accustomed
Well, IL must be admitted that it
is a departure from tie lines upon
which we have been bred and a great
change, but it Is q change fer the bet
ter 1t involves no surrender of dem
ocratic principles, no departure from
the rule OF the people 1t Is a change
only in form, a change from doing
the business OF municipality upon
haphazard methods methods of
which the editor himself complains
and the substitution thereof of meth
DDS upon which men c0Uduct their
private business. The right of the
citizen to select public servants is
no, abrogated That remains as at
present The voters elect the com
missioners and hold over their heads
the power Of recalling them if they
prove corrupt Indifferent or iBatten-
tive to their duties So far Is this
goes, the commission form of govern
ment is really more democratic than
the present system.
Bur il Is in the direct management
of city affairs that the best features
of the commission form are shown.
lt has q compact board of commits
sloners, three to five III number-or
as many as may be determined upon
each charged with certain duties.
W. WAN 1ttNuAiuA 10 ANt dltdAiS Dt
some particular branch of the gov
eminent each separate from the 9th
er in all that relates to his branch
bat each responsible 10 the board 7
as body. One of these commission
ers is mayor This retains the pres
ent system of government. but i'm "A F.
compact form, there being but the +
president Of the commission OFT the /
mayor and a small board OF commits
siouers, all RESPONSIBLE directly To T.
the people instead of cumbersome
board OF aldermen respoqsibl to no +
body and an pulling different direc- +
tioRs as IS usually the case.
There are many other features Of F
city government in the commission +
form which are superior 10 the sys
tenn that now prYalls bW newspaper f
space viii harly admit nf their euc.- +.
iatiou They ca be understood hy 1
study an1 Investigation