Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1911-04-04
MAKES
fine ADDRESS
Commission Form OF Government
the Theme of Splendid Talk by
Well-Known Attorney.
LARGE CROWD PRESENT
More Than One Hundred Citizens As
semble to Hear About New Form
of Municipal Management.

Before a crowd OF nearly one hum
dred citizens OF Lewistown, Edward
Booth, formerly an attorney of Butte,
but now, as he expressed it himself,
IAN honest farmer OF Yellowstone
county delivered most interesting
and instructive address last Friday
evening at the Judith club rooms on
the subject, "The Commission Form
of Government" The talk was
carefully prepared, scholarly and log
ical exposition of the advanced posi-
ton being taken by many cities of
the United States for their more ef-
hcient and representative manage
ment.
A Logical Discourse.
David Hilger, president OF the Lew
lstown Commercial Club, presided as
chairman of the evening and grace-
fully introduced the speaker of the
occasion, Mr.. Edward Booth
After expressing his appreciation
Of the invitation extended him to
come to Lewistown. the speaker paid
his respects in spirit OF good natured
raillery to some of the well-known
residents Of Lewistown. He then
launched into sequential, analytical
discussion Of the subject at hand and
for fully an hour, held the closest at
tention of the large crowd present.
| he Democrat regrets that a lack of
space prevents giving the address in
full as it is we'll worth the careful
consideration Of all interested in the
pcrfcctng Of better form OF mu-
| nicipal control.
Mr.. Booth spoke in part, as follows:
Since the day that John Bryce in
his work, entitled "1he American
Commonwealth" declared that mll-
nicipal government was a failure in
| America, there has been a more ag-
gressive and deeper interest in the
betterment OF municipal government.
| Within the last ten years the great
awakening which has occurred among
the people for higher and purer ideals
in governmental affairs, has made the
study of the question OF municipal
government one of interest to all.
The American people have begun to
fully realize the importance Of more
economical administered form OF city
government. They have been brought
| face to face with the fact that there
can be no permanent improvement or
lasting reform i'll state and national
affairs unless we begin with the home
life. The city government is to the
nation what the home life of the in
dividual is to the community A per-
son will be no better in society than
what the home training has made
him: so a citizen will have no higher
ideals OF government than what is in
culcatcd and practised by him in the
affairs OF the municipality within
which he lives. Water will not rise
above its source. neither will the
state be better than the standard set
within the individual communities.
The American city is the foundation
of American free government and re-
form must begin at home if we would
extend its influence into greater
spheres Public officials will always
be as efficient and no more so than
the demands OF the community which
elect them. A community which
winks at the violation of law will
have officers who will not enforce the
law A court that cannot secure the
services of the best citizens as jurors
will, in the main, have yerdicts rem
, dered that are no better then the
men who compose the jury that re-
turns the verdict.
These observations are made to inn
press upon your minds the absolute
. necessity for the elevation and the
. building up Of higher standard and
plane Of citizenship within your city,
and unless this underlying principle of
all is to govern, the commission form
Of government will be a failure the
same as your present existing form.
The popularity OF the commission
plan OF government is due to its SIM
plicitv Of method. and to the very
general dissatisfaction with the COM
plex form Of the federal or American
TYPE of city government.
The commission form recognizes in
the city homogeneous unit with a
community of interest. not an aggre-
CATION of discordant elements to be
reconciled. It recognizes that the
proper and efficient administration of
the affairs of CITY is business prob
lem and not political privilege, and
that officers are to be chosen for
their administrative ability and not as
a reward for political service. It
recognizes the principle that eff
fciencv lies in concentration Of pow
er. not in diffusion of responsibility.
| The genesis Of this plan Of govern