The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-07-12
WORK OUT WELL
Commission Government Has Helped Co
!umbia Wonderfully.
MUCH MONEY is SAVED
s.In Thirteen Months" Says Capt. W..
z. Gonzales, FLOATING Debt Of
$4,000 Wiped Out-No Debts and
no Overdrswn Appropriations. Mon.
or Cayad From Income.
ey Saved From Income.

ey Saved From Income.
The commission form Of govern
ment has proved a splendid success
III Colun bia.
Where eefcits were shown under
the old council rule surplus is now
found and the capital city Of South
Carolina will this year spend more
than 100000 on permanent improve
ments-a condition heretofore un-
known. Next year the city will ap-
propriate s15O,oO0 for such purposes.
There are five men in Columbia
who make it their regular business to
look after affairs of the city. There
are four. councilmen and the mayor.
Phe councilmeh receive $4,000 year,
and the mayor $4,000.
Here is the way the city's business
is apportioned:
w. H. Gibbes-Offcers, accounts
and accounting. Police and record
er's court. Taxation and civil ser.
vice.
Il J. Blalock-Li:enses. Santa
ton and health Insurance and build
ing permits.
R. C. Keenan-Fire department.
Street department. Market and light
ing.
w. shand-Law and finance
Schools. Parks and trees.
W. F. Stieglitz-Water works and
sewerage. Public buildings, chari:
ties and city jail.
Up in Trenton, N. j., the citizens
are making a fight for clean govern
ment. The Trenton Evening Times
asked Capt. W. E. Ganzaies, editor OF
The State, for a statement as to the
results obtained in Columbia and he
has the following to sey which is tc
the point:
Thirteen months ago a mayor and
four councilmen took over the man
agement of the municipal affairs from
mayor and Is alderman. Formerly
the mayor got a salagy of $500, the
alderm nothing. Now the mayor gets
s2,5o0, and each of the councilmen
$4,000.
We have the Des Moines plan with
several Improvements. There is civil,
service for police, fire and health de-
partments; initiative, recall and re
| ferendum. None Of these privileges
has been invoked.
Ward lines are obliterated, council.
men being elected, as the mayor, at,
large. The ward boss is dethroned
In the old system there was little
or no grating, lack of definite respon'
sibility; the unbusiness-like system
resulted in waste; thousand little
|leaks. There were jealousies and
chickering's among aldermen.
All that is changed. For fou1
years before it's adoption an earnest
advocate of commission government
! the results exceed Ey expectations
There is more in the system than in
the individuals.
Thirteen months ago the new sys,
Item found floating debt OF about
SIS, ,oO0-they always had floating
debts, the aldermen. Twenty-Five
Thousand year was Ill that corld be
given by aldermen for street care and
Improvement. IN ten months, for the
first. time in many years, the city got
on cash basis. No debts. No appro'
priations overdrawn. Every council
man publicly known to be responsible
for the counduct Of certain depart
ment. The water works, instead OF
showing a deficit of $4,000 to be
paid out of general tares, is paying
expenses and beginning to show a
cash balance.
Besides $4,000 for street cleaning
and repairs, 100000 was appropriate
| ed for expenditure this year for per
mature Improvements, the citizen
ling another 100000 20 !;-al,
out of current receipts. Next year
the city will appropriate s15o.Ooo for
such improvements.
Council meets often; the citizens
can have hearings at any time and
they are in direct touch with the
business managers of this affair.
Ordered business supersedes a
muddle. From the verge of bank
ruptcy we step to 90 per cent, divi-
dend I,ropoSition.
There are more policemen, with
three, instead of two, reliefs. The
fire department is more efficient.
power cars have supplanted horses in
several instances.
A wonderful change, and splen-
| did success.
BLEASE APPONTEES ENJOINED.