The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-03-23
| PRACTICAL PLAN Of
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Spokane Now Has the Most Advan-
ced Commission Form of Coy
eminent in America

SPOKANE, wash, MdrcH Zo.-
What is declared by experts to be
the most advanced practical plan of
| municipal government by commits
! sion in America is now in operation
! In Spokane. Five commissioners,
chosen from among go candidates at
special election on March Z when
women exercised the right of ballot
| for the first time in the history of
| the city, were formally indicted into
| office on March IA, retiring Mayor
| Nelson s. Pratt and ten councilmen
| The commission has been organized
as follows:
Mayor and commissioner of pub
| lie affairs, William J. Hindley, for
merly pastor of Pilgrim Copgrega-
tional church.
Vice chairman and commissioner
of finance, Robert Farley, former
L. city comptroller
| Comm issioner of public utilities,
| Charles M Fassett, formerly presi-
dent of the Spokane chamber OF
| commerce.
Commissioner of public works,
! David C. Coates, printer; former
lieutenant governor of Colorado.
Commissioner of public safety,
Fora E. Hayden, retired lumber
| mill operator and capitalist
The first three men were elected
| for terms of five years, the last
named for three years. The salary is
. nf
| ing fixed at $4,000.
The commissioner of public af-
fairs appoints and supervises the
city engineer, corporation counsel
and inspector of weights and meas
ures the commissioner of finance
controls the books and offices OF the
city treasurer and auditor; the com
missioner of public utilities has
charge of the city water works ana
power plant, street railway, tele-
phone and allied affairs: the com
missioner of public works has super
vision of streets, pavements and sew
ers, and the commissioner of pub |
lie safety controls the police and |
firemen. The commissioners also |
ook after all the ramificatons of |
heir various duties and may change |
md alter these by agreement.
Three civil service commissioners,
o be appointed to serve without
gay, demand the merit system, ex-
probatione, investiga-
ions and removals on charges. The !
purpose is to make permanent all |
municipal appointments, calling for |
special fitness. so that faithful
public official may plan career and
fit himself accordingly, without rear
of displacement by disfavor-
Another feature of the charter is
the provision for publicity All the
meetings are open to the public, and
all ordinances and other notceS
must be published In the officlal
ga zettto, which is distributed free OF
charge. The mayor has no veto pow
,r.
The charter provides for the mi
iative and the referendum and the
ecall. Fifteen per cent of the vote
5 required to recall any commission
r who has been remiss or unsatts-
actory In his duty
The system of voting for the COM
aissioners is ingenious. Twenty-Five
doctors may nominate candidate
" taking an oath that he is qualified
md a desirable man and that they
lesire TO vote for him,
The ballet contains the names or
al the candidates in alphabetic or
Ter, followed by spaces marked for |
first, second and third choice, The |
voters mark Is crosses on the ballot, |
voting for five men as first choice, |
five others as second choice and five |
as third choice, However, they may
vote for third choice the entire list
after eliminating first and second
choice.
The majority of all votes cast
elects on the first choice. Then the
votes for the candidates, who are un-
successful in the first choice column
and are in the second choice column,
are counted to select the rest, If five