The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-17
SUNDAY. NOVEMBER II, 1912.
THE COMMISSION FORM or GOVERN.
MENT


In an election few days ago the city of
Savannah Ga, rejected by a decisive majority
the project TO institute a commission form OF
government, aud the Macon Telegrcph draws
some interesting observations from the result
of he election. ut was believed" says the
yelegyaph, that at the present time, when
every person and every city and State wishes
10 be progressive, any measure could be passed
If only the people given the opportunity
Of voting for It. But the decisive vote in
Savannah points in the other direction, 49,.
Savannah Is the third city within the State to
reject this form of government within year,
Atlanta and Augusta being the other two"
.Taken geographically" says the Telegraph,
sthe South has fewer cities under the commits
sion plan of government than any other sec
d fas.n' and IL ventures the assertion that the
explanation is found In the language of one
cf the speakers In the Savannah campaign,
when he said "ft was time enough TO make a
change when some one found stealing"
The Telegraph continues along a line Of
thought that supports the vaporings OF the
orator, who was probably some peanut poll
fician or ward -heeier with TO grind.
That is too narrow "A view to take of the. pro-
posed reform TO mind. The time has come
when taxpayers should demand that munieipaii-
ties like any business enterprise should be
conducted on a business basis and present
cumbersome and costly methods done away
with. 1t is simply question of modern busi-
ness methods for conducting the business OF a
municipality; not matter Of locking the safe
after some one has been caught stealing.
system that will give rise to suspicion that
somebody might be caught stealing Is reason
enough to experimenting something different.
Richmond has taken the first step toward
the commission form of government, and while
Il is new and untried 1t looks good at the
present writing. and IL It proves good-and u
majority OF the voters believe that It will
there Is no question but that the municipality
will be conducted on a strictly business basis,
with politics eliminated. and taxpayers will be
receiving full returns for their Investments,
and the doom Of the ward-heeler and the pea
nut politician shall have been sealed.
During the past year sixteen State legisla-
& lures had bills before them providing for the
" adopted the plan. During 1911 ninety FIVE
Il cities adopted the method of municipal
government. being nearly half of the cities now
v under it. In IsN and 1905 there were oht
N each to adopt It; In 907 nine took II up, and
in 1905 and 1909 twenty-nine: y-eight cities
voted for 1t in 1919 and seven cities have the
form but date is given of when 1T was
adopted.
The smallest city In the United States gov
erned by this method is Margate. N. j.. with
l2s population, and the largest is Oakland
Cal. with 15o,lT4. OF the cities which rejected
the measure the largest Is Jersey City, with
population OF 267.759.
AT the beginning OF the present year Maine
Maryland. South Carolina, Louisiana, wye.
ming, Montana New Mexico and Oregon had
one city each under this form or government
n Georgia (CartersvilIe and Marietta adopting
in i9I1), Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska and
Idaho had two each. West Virginia. Virginia
North Carolina Wisconsin, Minnesota, Soutf
Dakota ami Colorado had three each; Mis-
sissppi had four: Tennessee Utah and Massa
chusetts had six each: New Jersey and Iowa
4 had seven each: Alabama Michigan and Wash
fngton had eight each North Dakota hat
II eleven; California had twelve: Oklahoma had
seventeen; Illinois had nineteen; Kansas had
fwenty-six and Tevas tweuty-nine