The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-01-06
What Is Commission" Government? ?

WHot tS SOIlNlISSlOD Government!
The particular plan of organization
versal type. When the charters are
analyzed it is found that they vary
somewhat widely in detail. The basic
structure Of all, however, is this: A
body Of five men (three in smaller
cities. seven in Omaha) on each of
whom Is devolved the supervision
over a department Of the city's ac-
tivities. Thus in Galveston, there are
four departments (the mayor in Gal
weston is not specifically assigned to
one). designated, (1) Finance and
Revenue. (2) Streets and Public
Property. (3) Water and Sewerage,
(4) Police and Fire. The FIVE men
sit as q body in deliberative capa-
city. All Of the commissioners are
elected by vote of the whole city.
Normally and logically they are the
only elective officers, but a few char
ters provide for a separately elected
fiscal officer on the theory that the
audit Of the commissions accounts
should be conducted by an officer
who is not one OF their servants.
Under the Alabama law this seperate
audit is conducted by State exam
liner.
The Des Moines charter added TO
the structure what were at the time
unknown and untried devices Of
the Initiative. Referendum, and Re.
call, measures designed to make
doubly sure that the people would
control This instrument also includ-
ed civil services and corrupt practices
provisions and scheme Of non-par-
tisan elections. These features, how
ever. were all taken from older
forms; and they constitute no essen
tial part Of the commission move
ment. inasmuch as one or all Of them
are absent from nearly every law en-
cept the Iowa statute. The initiative
and Referendum have rarely been
used, and Of the Recall the most
striking instances Of its use lie out
side the commission-governed cities.
The only commissioners ever removed
were those of Tacoma, Wash. ana
during September, 1911, the mayor
and one other commissioner in
Wichita, Kan.
The Galveston plan was hewn in
the rough. Wide application has
shown that certain adjustments must
be made in localities to make the in
strument thoroughly responsive to the
will Of the people. Here is a rather
fine question in social psychology:
How TO arrange the popular selec
ton Of the elective body is such
way that every member Of it shall re-
ceive such adequate scrutiny as to Sc
cure his full responsibility to the vot-
ers Of the city. In Wichita the mayor
was separately designated on the bal
lot, l. e.. voted for as mayor, although
under the Kansas law he is no more
important than any Of his conferes.
But the people thought he was more
important, with the result that the
interest in the Wichita elections has
been centered on the mayor, at the
expense of the other commissioners.
To remedy this defect, a radical step
has been taken in New Jersey and
Nebraska; a commission Of five is
elected by the people and from their
own number the commissioners select
n mayor. Thus every candidate for
commissioner elected is, potentially,
the head Of the city government. and,
presumably. receives a corresponding
share Of attention at the hands of
the electors.-From "The Short Bal
lot I'm American Cities" by II. s. Gill
bertson. in the American Review Of
Reviews for January -