The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-08-03
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.

/ What Three Years OF the New SJs-
tenn of Municipal Administration
Has Meant to Memphis, Tenn
City Has Experienced Great
Awakening.
Baton Rouge New Advocate:
A thoughtful resume Of what three
years of commission government has
meant to Memphis, Tenn, appears
in a recent issue of the NeWs-Sclm
| tar. 1t deals not only with the ma
terial progress, but in the effect up
on the habit of mind OF the people
themselves.
Says the News-Scimitar:
in the present day, the day when
politics plays such an important part
/ in the daily life OF the average pro-
fessional or business man, the voter
often finds himself propoundlng the
questions: Where does my vote, my
dictum, go? To what purpose have
III by ballot expressed my faith in
| certain aspirant for public servitude,
or for OF. against some certain pubic
measure of vital interest to myself,
and what has been the result!
TT has not been so many years ago
when the commission form of city
government was largely considered a
joke; was looked upon by some point.
/ ical skeptics as having been evolved
by some perverted mind, totally IN
capable to criticise or comment on
/ political economics. Those were the
/ days-a period in the municipal al,
fairs of many of our larger cities To-
day, which still have to experience a
political revolution-When no really
i serious thought or time was devoted
to administrational affairs by city ex-
ecutives; when, as it is yet IN
great many instances, the office
i seeker got what he wanted, in more
ways than one, and let the city take
4 care of itself But the day is rap
idly passing when the voter voted
merely because his name appeared
on the poll book. He is rapidly
ceasing to be a puppet to- be caloled
and bought for handshake or a
cigar by some nondescript politician
i IN need Of coin of the realm The
voter of today is beginning to real
ize that he is of some Importance IN
the management of his clty's afIalfs,
land, as result of this evolution Or
/ thought, he is attempting to see that
/ mis- ballot is marked in the rlght
square; that his vote is productive OF
i good. consequences. The outcome IS
commission government.
about three years ago the voters
of Memphis decided to cut loose IRON
the old regime, and see what could
1 be done through this new form OF
municipal management. 'The result
thus far has been most surprising.
4 A disinterested visitor to the CITY
il hall, politically disinterested, OF only
&; ordinary powers of observation
4 would be astouished at the activities
h displayed on every side. Commits
4 sioners. clerks, deputies, inspectors
!. tine mayor-all appear to be deeply
S in earnest in their united but diver.
s sified efforts to successfully admin
lister to the city's needs.
perhaps the busiest OF all IS the
4 mayor. He is the one. person who is
constantly in public demand. As the
ayoWed servant of the people, VINO
placed him in office, he is contin
ually being called upon to exercise
through different channels, various
executive duties. Every body goe
to see the mayor for action on MS
case. Perhaps it is a peddler with
privilege grievance. Perhaps It Is
some outraged citizen with a ciaIn
for personal damages. Again it mig
be some politician OF past tense, WIs
seeks to get a job without having u
;, pass a civil service examination. ont
: and all it is the mayor they call OF
for a settlement of their difficulties
and as rule it is he who starts tht
ball rolling one way or the other.
These constant demands on hi
J services necessitate his being in az
tive touch with all Of the numerou
! departments involved in commlsslol
: government. He must know VIVA
each branch of the service is dong
:. and, in consequence, to satisfy all Q
: these claims on his ability, he mus
!. necessarily be fitted mentally for tn
post he assumes. His job, therefore
: is no snap, and to the casual obsei
yer it is indeed a most difficult pc
4 sition to fill and fill properly.
.sThere is no doubt, however, tba
Memphis, under this new form
municipal management, has exper
Isneed a great awakening. The cit
K zens have apparently realized VIVA
d an honest and capable adminlstrs
ri ton can do BY the commission TORI
Of government, and what is appal
ent to them is likewise discernabl
to the outsider, who has never befol
! looked into the matter. This CIT
: has already become generally know
all over. the country because OF Il
s commission government 1t is de-
z tined to be even better known. +
it
!: 4 LIVER MEDICINE that