Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-01-20

minister OdLnS III tlllS Stdle are du
thorized to administer a marriage GER
emony in this state"
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.
The idea of the enactment of a gen.
eral law providing the commission
form of government for the various
municipalities in South Carolina is
under the serious consideration Of the
general assembly. Such a plan was
adopted by the city Of Columbia last
year. The following from recent is
sue Of Law Notes" gives a compre-
hensive grasp Of what Is meant by
government by commission:
Municipal government by commits
sion has been given a thorough trial
in this country, and, II all reports are
true. has proven practically every
where. an unqualified success. Com
mission government, 1t may he said Is
hut a means to an end. The end is
good government for our cities-that
IS. the divorcing Of politics and NUM-
ciDal government. the elimination OF
ward lines the dethronement Of the
boss, and the application to public af-
fairs of sound business principles
The theory underlying commission
government may most surely be at
tained by the Capitalization Of author
ity with a consequent holding to strict
responsibility. 1t Is exactly In this
manner that private CORPORATIONS are
governed. A board Of directors, who
are clothed with the fullest powers
manage the affairs Of the company and
are held responsible for the most tri-
vial act to the stockholders at large,
Why should not the same methods he
employed in the government Of NUM-
cipal corporations? The plan of COM
mission government Is to do away
with the old division Of city officers in
TO legislative, executive, and judicial
departments, and to commit to the
hands of a few men known as COM
mittee, or commission, or board of
directors, the safe-keeping and gov
ernment of the city. The plan has so
amply vindicated itself that at present
more than eighty cities In the United
States either are actually governing
themselves In this manner or have
voted favorably upon the adoption of
the commission form Of government.
Texas comes first with 13 cities: Kan
sas is close second with IL; Oklahoma
comes next with g.; South Dakota has
Z; Iowa has g. Massachusetts,, 5, Gn-
cluding Boston, where a modified form
of the plan Is in force): North Dakota,
5; Tennessee, 5: California, 4: Ala
hama, Q; Colorado, 2; Idaho, 2; New
York, g and Louisiana, Missouri. Min
nesota, North Carolina, South Carroll
ma, Washington and Wisconsin 1 each.
There may be, and probably are, more
cities than the ones thus enumerated,
which have, since the last table Of sta
tistics was published, entered upon
this new era Of governmental efficien-
cy.
In the manner of the application Of
this plan, the theorists have, Of course,
differed. The working out Of the de-
tails has resulted in three main forms
of commission government known as
the Galveston, Newport and Des Moines
plans. OF these the Des Moines plan
may be taken as fairly representative Of
the underlying idea, and it Is perhaps
as good as any plan so far devised as a
practical application Of that idea. The
Des Moines scheme, as explained by
Mayor James r. Hanna Of that city, Is
briefly as follows: The commission
consists of the mayor and four COM
who are vested with all
the powers Of city government, and
who are elected by the people of the
whole city, but without any party des-
ignation. The four commissioners and
the mayor act as the administrative
heads of their respective departments,
and also constitute the city council,
and as such legislate for the city. The
and mayor are elected
for a period of two years and in the
following manner: Any citizen who
can secure the signature Of twenty five
voters vouching for his character may
become a candidate for mayor or COM
missioner. From among these candi-
dates the two receiving the highest
number of votes for mayor In the pri-
mary become candidates for mayor In
the final election, and the eight re-
ceiving the highest number of votes
for commissioners become the final
for commissioners. Then
in the final election, occurring two
weeks later, the one receiving the
highest number Of votes for mayor
becomes mayor, and the four receiving
the highest number of votes for COM
missioners are elected to these Offices
These five men at their first meeting
proceed to elect the subordinate city
officers. and the new council Is then
ready to conduct the business Of the
city.
AS an accurate and intelligent COM
ment upon this scheme Of govern
ment, we may we'll adopt the following
language of Mayor Hanna: "Directness
and simplicity are the main character
stic Of the Des Moines plan of commits
sion government The great purposes
are to make the city government feel
to public opinion, and also
TO make it efficient in administration.
To carry out these two fundamental
ideas two other great principles have
directed nearly all the details of our
charter, viz, to confer upon the gov
erning body great power, and to hold
the governing body strictly responsible
for the right use of that power. Pub
city and efficiency are thus the watch
words of the Des Moines plan. Candi-
lates must make public statement OF
their expenses for campaign purposes;
there can he no secret meetings or the
city council; every ordinance appro-
Driating money must be on public file
for seven days before it becomes ef-
'ective; all franchises must be submit
ed to a vote of the people for approval
before they become operative; officers
must have no secret obligations to
public service companies in the way Of
passes. special rates or free service,
tic. These specific provisions for pub
icity have created a general spirit Of
everything connected with
he city government out In the open
light. Campaigns are conducted prac-
ically altogether in open meetings.
of which occur in every city
election. Every meeting Of the city
council is minutely reported in the dali
Y newspapers. The result is that the
public opinion is we'll informed and
intelligent, and it moulds the action Of
he city council. and the power OF tSstee
public opinion is rendered still more
by the existence of the pro-
'sion for the initiative. referendum
md recall" What city, in any one Of
Iur American commonwealths, could
all to be benefited by change from
present conditions to such a form Of
LOCAL LAcONIcS.
The Christian Messenger.