United labor bulletin., 1911-11-30
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
BY j. J. Jacobsen.
Qssued by the National Office of the
Socialist Party.)

Js y.
Ussued by the National Office of the
Socialist Party)
Origin.
Government by commission in the
United States is the result of great
national disaster. 1t was introduced in
the city of Galveston Immediately fol
lowing the great tidal wave that swept
that city, destroying its property and
drowning its people Catastrophes OF
such magnitude usually have justified a
declaration of martial law.
Through the instrumentality of an
Iowa capitalist, interested in one of the
public service corporations in the south
ern city, this form of government Tor
cities has been extended to Iowa and
other states.
Centralized Power.
The distinguished feature of govern
ment by commission, the combination OF
legislative, executive and judicial func-
tions in a small body of men (from
three to seven) is the embodiment OF
all that our discredited ex-president is
pleased to call centralized government.
A majority of the commission, either
through themselves or their appointees,
such as attorney, police judge, assessor,
auditor and treasurer, have the absolute
power to enact, interpret and enforce
the laws and ordinances of the city.
1nGy dlOne uetti mine Tic SuhiSiShSS
or insufiiciency of petitions for refer
endum vote or for their own recall.
They appoint the civil service com
missioners and prescribe the rules and
regulations of procedure.
They appoint all the judges and clerks
of election and thus control the entire
election machinery of the city.
Legal opinions are handed down to
suit the purposes and desires of the com
| f1aa int CT .af
the community.
The executive clerks or employees have
no desire to jeopardize their jobs by ar
resting vicious and dishonest legislation.
| - illustrate: Some years ago, under
the old form of government, with its divi-
sion of powers, the Des Moines city
council adopted an ordinance to Loan"
the water company special water
works fund of $4,000 for the purpose of
extending the water mains to govern
ment army post. The auditor and treas
urer, being elected by and directly re-
sponsible to the people, declined to exc
cute the mandates of the council. The
water company laid the mains, as they
were under contract with the national
government to do The city kept the
| money.
Again: Under the commission form
| of government one of the city attorneys
city collect 100000 which the street
railway company under their present
| franchise owes the city of Des Moines.
His services were dispensed with. Under
new franchise recently drawn up the
commissioners magnanimously agrees to
cancel the obligation
Commenting on this proposed fran
chise Golfers Weekly, issue of Febru-
airy 26, 1910, has this to say: THE AZ
/ for hu hn ct
railway company of Kansas City, Mo-,
offered more favorable terms to the pub
lie than that now pending in Des Moines,
and yet, after a stirring campaign, Kan
sas City defeated the franchise as rot
ten bargain"
Both national and state governments
have, by their constitutions, decreed that
Legislative, executive and judicial func-
tions should be kept separate.
| Every corporation, conducted Tor pri-
vate gain, retains in a board of directors
supervisory and legislative control over
its executive departments. Every trades
union or fraternal society, conducted for
benevolent purposes, while conferrlng
administrative powers to few of its
members, retains for the entire member
ship the power to direct its policies.
Neither the capitalist class nor the
working class, conducting their affairs
are identical, have deemed it wise to
| lodge both legislative and executive func-
| tions in the same body of men. Certain
| ly, in selecting officials for city, where
| the interests of these elements In society
| conflict, 1t is less wise to do SO, regard
less of which faction may secure the
| powers of government.
| Individuals who have devoted their
lives to the study and practice of land
scape architecture. civil engineering,
conditions for cities and expert account
ing, etc, usually are not good legisla-
tors. BY training they are particularly
fitted to make suggestions relative to
their own line of work, but especially
untitled to legislate for any department
beside their own.
AS a matter of fact, however. the ex-
perts which it has been contended the
commission form would attract to its de-
partmental positions, have failed to
either seek or secure the Offices. These