The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-06
WORK out WELL
Commission Government has ReIpsd Co.
lunbia Wonderfully.
MUCH MONEY is SAVED

MUCl MVlVE4 ~ SAvEW
I'm Thirteen Months" Says Capt. w.
E. Gonzales, '.Floating Debt of
$4,000 Wired Out-No Debts and
no Overfrawn Appropriations. Mon.
ey Saved From Income.
The commission form Of govern
nient has proved a splendid success
III Columbia.
Where deficits were shown under
the old council rule a surplus is now
found and the capital city of South
Carolina will this year spend more
than 100000 on permanent improve.
ments-a COZ dition heretofore un-
known. Next year the city will ap-
propriate $150,000 for such purposes.
There are five men in Columbia
who make 1t their regular business to
look after affairs of the city. There
are four couEcilmen and the mayor.
The councilmen receive $4,000 a year,
ard the mayor S2.500.
Here Is the way the city's business
is apportionei:
w. H. Gibbes-Officers accounts
and accounting. Police and record
er's court Taxation and civil SER
vice.
X ]. Blalock-Licenses. Santa.
ton and health Insurance and build
ing permits.
r. C. Keenan-Fire department..
Street department. Market and light.
ing.
r W. Shand-Law and finance.
Schools. Parks and trees.
W. F. Stieglitz-Water works and
sewerage. Public buildings, chari-
ties and city Jail.
Up in Trenton, N. j., the citizens
are making fight for clean govern
ment. The Trenton Evening Times
asked Capt. w. E. Ganzales, editor Of
Fhe State, for statement as to the
results obtained in Columbia and he
has the following to se.y which is to
the point:
Thirteen months ago mayor and
four councilmen :ook over the man
agement of the municipal affairs FROM
mayor and Is alderman. Formerly,
the mayor got salary Of $500, the
alderm nothing. Now the mayor gets
4 $2,500, and each of the councilmen
$4,000.
We have the Des MoineB plan with
several improvements. There Is civil
service for police, fire and health de-
partments; initiative, recall and re-
ferendum. None of these privileges
has been invoked.
Ward lines are obliterated, council
men being elected, as the mayor, at
large. The ward boss is dethroned.
In the old system there was little
or no grating, lack of definite respon-
sibility; the unbusiness-like system
resulted in waste; a thousand little
leaks. There were jealousies and
chickering's among aldermen.
All that is changed. For four
years before it's adoption an earnest
advocate of commission government,
the results exceed my expectations.
There is more III the system than In
the individuals.
Thirteen months ago the new sys-
tenn found q floating debt of about
S75, 5,000-they always bad floating
debts, the aldermen. Twenty-Five
thousand a year was Ill that could be
given by aldermen for street care and
improvement. In ten months, for the
first time in many years, the city got
on a cash basis. No debts. No apprO-
priations overdrawn. Every council
man publicly known to be responsible
for the counduct of certain depart-
ment. The water works, instead of
showing a deficit of $4,000 to be
paid out of general tares, Is paying
expenses and beginning to show
cash balance.
Besides $4,000 for street cleaning
and repairs, 100000 was appropriate
ed for expenditure this year for per-
mature improvements, the citizen
ing a1other 100000 10 it7ah
out of current receipts. Next year
the city will appropriate s150,000 for
such improvements.
Council meets often; the citizens
can have hearings at any time and
they are in direct touch with the
business managers of this affair.
Ordered business supersedes
muddle. From the verge OF bank
ruptcy we step to 20 per cent, diVi-
dend proposition.
There are more policemen, with
three, instead of two, reliefs. The
fire department is more efficient.
power cars have supplanted horses IN
several instances.
A wonderful change, and splen-
did success.