El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-11
FULL days work for a full

~ days pay was the slogan
pasted up in the city hall
when the commissioners of Memphis
entered office on January 1, 1910. And
thereupon the old habit of employees
dropping into their offices anywhere.
from 500 to 10 o'clock became a
thing Of the past This was satisfying
to most people, but it was not suffi-
cient to end the war on the commits
sion system which had waged since the
idea of making the change had first
been proposed. and the contest was
carried into the courts. The result
was that six or seven months passed
before the newly installed comission-
ers knew whether they were going TO
be permitted to report for duty at
o'clock in the morning as a steady
policy. or would have to go out and
hunt other jobs while the ousted al
dermen returned to the management
of the affairs of the municipality
However, any anxiety they may have
felt on the subject was removed in
August, 1910, when the supreme court
knocked out the last legal obstacle and
the new regime was permitted to feel
secure in its possession of the city
hall
Cleaning Up the City.
In the meantime. the commissioners
esting task of cleaning up the city.
Eight hundred arrests were made the
first month, with the result that there
was a general exodus Of the criminal
element from the community and
corresponding decrease in the number
of burglaries. holdups and other Of
lenses familiar to the city in the old
days. The criminal element was also
given a severe blow when a system
of Straw, bonds" that had long pre-
vailed was knocked out by the COM
missioners. Under this straw bond
system, it had been possible for Grim
inais of all types TO make their get
away when the offense was not of an
exceedingly grave character A plan
wars in vogue under which prisoners
with enough money to turn the trick.
were provided with a bond that was
accepted by the authorities, but upon
which it was impossible to realize any-
thing to report for tria1-as he usually
did. This practice was ended abruptly
by the commissioners and their action
in this matter also contributed to the
exodus OF the lawless element The
city does not claim now to be mod
ern paradise but It is as orderly as
the average American city
The Juvenile Court.
Among other reforms brought about
was the establishment of 4 juvenile
court, the execution Of a contract I'M
der which the city received interest
upon its deposits, the appointment OF
a purchasing agent for the city, the
establishment of hospital for the
treatment Of tuberculosis. the fnaugu-
ration of a system Of school inspection
and also a system OF boiler and electri-
cal inspection Street improveme nts
-
$500. 600 were carried through, the san
itary system OF the city was greatly
extended. the fire department was pro-
vided with much new equipment, ana
CITY buildings and property OF all
kinds was overhauled and put in first
class condition All old crippled I'VE
stock used in the various departments
was replaced with active Young an
r,aIs th,,s Increasing the efficiency OF
these departments. and a Duose, -
tenn was introduced under Wnlcn the
naon1e were for the first time INFORMED
IS 70 what disposition was made OF
t,,e money paid in licenses ana taxes
rode,ed on Des Moines Plan.
,rba Memnhis plan is modelled after
tbe Des Moines system, but IL ooes uo'
,-,ry the non-rartisan election 1ea-
tnres In fact. there has been shsh'
5isvoeifion in the south TO break away
f,oy,, the marty primary Birmingham
.,ah.,o which will be governed IN
sar commission charter within !s"
weeks. is the first important muh,e1
pality in the south to aboish TINS p 90
Of nominating city of1lclals 49,, 4
of nominations being maze Oy p me-
elactions the Birmingham system pro-
- 49, anyone can run for office
mon filing petition signed by i've
brndred qualified voters. The primary
s,-s+am makes it certain that the OH
- ,-il1 he filled by Democrats, anu
,,,aer,,oh as the Democrats are largeiy
=, tba ma iority in southern cities, the
as a rule insist upon holGing 10
the old method Of selecting 'hos
whose names are to appear on the
fetal ballot. -
orsndum' the civil service and the cor
,.,,y+ nract;ce feature. The commls-
sioners are required under the chaTter
- o,onIov all subcrdinates with reIer
enca 70 their qualifications and without
TO their political fa1tn or
nartv affiliations" 1t is made uniaW-
full for any candidate to promise re-
ward of any kind for pohtlcal suppoi"
emulsion from office being the PEN
~ This is a slight modification OF
The Des Mofnes charter with reference
RI corrupt practice. that instrument
Going bit further and adding imprls
onment in addition to the loss or OH
cial position.
-Four Yeaf Terms.
The Memphis charter makes the term
IF the mayor and commissioners fouf
wears instead Of two. as is the case IN
most cities. The salary Of the mayor
Il fixed at $4,000 per anum, and that
81 the commissioners at $4,000 each
rhe city government is divided into
i've departments. including public al
fairs and health: fire and police; &C
counts. finance and revenue; public util-
ties; buildings and grounds; streets,
bridges and sewers The mayor is at
The head of the department OF public
Lffairs and health, having supervision
# all the affairs of the city. presiding
It board meetings and being charged
With the duty Of keeping the commits
ioners advised as to all matters con-
erning the welfare OF the city
The commissioner in charge OF the
ire and police department has super
rision of all matters relating to these
being responsible for
axnandf- ]