Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-31
GOVERNING A CITY
How Dallas Has Flourished
Under Commission Plan.
A BLESSING AND A PERIL
OF Untold Benefit So Long as Hon
estly Administered.
GREAT CHANCE FOR GRAFT
Should Citizens Relax Vigilance,
Politicians Would Have
Powerful Machine.
A BLESSING AND A PERIL
GREAT CHANCE FOR GRAFT

S~>S~SSesS4S VS0A0 AAoVC q
Powerful Machine.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
DALLAS, Tex. March Is. 1911.
The commission plan of government
was adopted by the city of Dallas in
1907 and will have been in operation
four years the 9th of April next. There
is a mayor and four commissioners, one
In charge of streets, water, sewerage
and public works. another in charge Of
finances and taxation, a third in charge
Of the police. flre department and the
courts. and the fourth In charge Of edu-
cation and public institutions
Acting together they form q cabinet for
the mayor, legislature for the enact
ment Of laws and regulations. They hold
meetings every day. They are technical
men, not politicians. Each commissioner
was elected on the theory that the city
Of Dallas has property as a corporation
worth some seven millions Of dollars, and
that il needed business men to look after
its interests properly. One OF the COM
missioners is a lawyer. The others are
business men and correspond to the board
Of directors Of a railway company. with
the mayor acting as general manager.
He has q salary of $4,000 a year. The
commissioners have $500 each, and they
are required to give their entire time to
the administration Of city affairs.
Their subordinates are all appointed by
the mayor, subject to the approval Of the
commissioners as body. and they can
create and abolish ofices at pleasure.
The merit system applies to the ordinary
~ oil 80 iy,y-a rfa - q n
pointed at the bottom and promoted for
efficiency as vacancies occur higher up.
The mayor has absolute authority OF re-
moval. subject to the advice and consent
ence is entirely eliminated. As the mayor
and commissioners are elected by the
entire voting population instead Of by
wards. there are no sectional jealousies
and no ward heelers to take care Of.
Have Autocratic Power.
The commissioners have autocratic
power to prepare and enforce such resu-
lations as they may consider necessary
and proper. and this can be done at any
meeting without public notice. On the
other hand. citizens have the right to adj
wise and propose regulations and ordi-
nances, and the mayor and commission
ers are required to give such suggestions
due consideration. If the mayor and COM
missioners refuse to act favOrably upon
q petition, citizens interested have the
right 10 call for q referendum election
upon the application Of 35 per cent of the
number of voters who cast their ballots
At the election Immediately preceding.
This. however. is very seldom necessary
because the commissioners, In considering
the best interests OF the people, are not
apt to refuse to adopt q practical sugges-
ton that ID supported by public senti-
ment.
q Commerce OF Dallas. in reply to my
question, said: Il cordially Endorsed the
commission form Of government. and be-
lieve II to be adaptable to the needs Of
that II is the coming form of govern
ment. although its success or failure will
always be due to the character and the
competency Of the men who are selected
to administer it. a mayor and commits
sioners must have brains and experience
and Judgment to administer the affairs
Of a municipality. just like any other
business, and the success Of their admin
istration will be in proportion to the abil
~ that Is applied to their work.
A Work for Experts.
Municipal government should be ad-
ministered by experts-not only experts
men capable of handling large affairs,
anu Tic iNSI QucctiVu " Uc dShcu d. u
the fitness Of any man for the public
service should be: Is he competent as well
as honest?
Whatever principles are at stake, the
issue is and always will be the man in
charge-his worth, his character, his
ideals and his experience Therefore l
care not what plan Of government such
men operate. if the public intrusts its in
terests TO competent men and provides
for Capitalization Of power. with checks
to guarantee the proper use and prevent
the abuse of authority. it will be more
successful and satisfactory than the old
fashioned plan of a political common
council and a political mayor.
Such a situation exists in the city of
.;allas today. and while 1 approved the
plan. 1 admit that its success has been
due to the men who are carrying it out
think all business men Of Dallas will,
however. join me in the belief that in
the main the city charter Of Dallas, ex-
pressing the commission plan Of govern
ment. Is the equal OF any charter yet
drawn. and, inasmuch as we have Sc
lected emcient men to carry out that
late ourselves upon the results thus far
obtained.
Ut is my conception that the checks
which may be used upon proposed leRis-
latdon against the wishes OF a majority
OF the people. or the acts of any offcial
which do not accord with the views of a
majority. are fully adequate, and only
refer In passing to the three vital
principles Of the plan-the initiative, the
referendum and the recall.
Act Al a Deterrent.
The provisions for any and all kinds
OF these being in our charter at least act
~ . deterrent, not only making the COM
n,tssioners anxious to serve the will of
the people, but has the effect of making
tenure OF ONCE unstable for a dishonest
MISREPRESENTATION $<@%+sA
+ SURELY BREAKS THE !
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