Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-03-14

w uMnAHfcr wi HtheNs~%
most carefully organized and its work
well planned and efficiently managed
for the purpose OF further'ng bust
ness enterprises. and the same thing |
is true OF the city. for they ara botn
after the same or similar results the
only difference helm. that In one case
the results sought are represented oy
private dividends in the form of mon
ey and in the other the dividends
are public in their nature and come
in the way of bcttermcnt OF pubic
conditions. increase in property val
ues, and decrease In taxation. ana 5"
on and the community MS who.e
reaps the result.
The same business management
necessary TO successfully operate a
privately owned and controlled wat
erworks system Is necessary for q e
successful operation of city water
works system. In the privately own
ed and operated concern. you viii
find no directors or stockholders vot-
inr for certain geographical subdi-
visions of the city or with reference
to some popular need OF the CITY as
whole-they are in II for what they
can get out of il in the way of divi-
dends. and they teamwork to get
results and plan and expect to get
results by business-like methods OF
management and operation
Under the old council system, the
business affairs of the city are tsu-
ally referred to committee. and by
the committee referred to some one
else. and 50 on. and b. the time the
, matter runs the gauntlet OF officials
and committeeman. no one is partic-
/, ularly responsible AT any particular
time. and no part of the organization
has power to definitely control the
matter and he held directly RESPONSE
BILE for the outcome. This Is surely
not the modern business plan or idea.
4 few men are chosen to do these
things because of their special lit
ness for the particular work. They
are given powers, and Responsible
ties are placed upon them for results
. Now, why cannot the same Thing be
: true OF city whose principal con-
: Germs are those of business affairs
Under the commission plan. the
= entire administration of the business
: of the citv is placed in the hands oil
{ a small body of well chosen men
These men are elected by the city al
large and are responsible TO no par
ticullr ward or subdivision, but to
: the whole CITY; and they ere given
Y power To do what is necessary to be
. done. and are restrained only by theii
u responsibility TO the people. AS
; usual thing, under this plan the ar
fairs of the city are divided into de-
J. partments. These departments rep
> resent the main business activities o'
; the city such as the department o'
u finance, the police and fire depart
u ment. the street and public property
department. the waterworks depart
u ment, and so on. and each commits
sioner has charge OF a particular de
. partment, outlines its policy. and nc
! sees that its interests are properly
{ taken care Of II things 90 wrong
= the people know who is TO blame
= The head of a particular department
u has the power 20 choose his assist
! ants. and II they are not efficient h,
{ is to blame for appbintins them
y Each commissioner, therefore, stands
o before the people on his record. an
e the record of his assistants. He u
= unhampered by cumbersome sys
= tenn of checks and balances. by an
= division of power or responsibility
n lie has no excuse for delay or 70
4 showing the burden on some one else
Every voter knows the man. and tn
commissioner is Judged solely b> 10.
service 70 the people as a Who'll"
The commission plan permits or
Plantation alonr an laduslrW. basis
II Is effective, direct and business
4 like II offers opportunities Oh th
energetic and industrious, UUd a,
tracts public officials of a Usher cal
ibcr aud We mean to cast u' usin
uatious upon our present alwu.etra
tion. II Is in perfect harmony Wit
the functions which the o.iy las {
perform. and fits innto condition
under which 1t must be- administered
Of course. different cities demand tii
lerert applications OF the pr.no.nl,
bnt after all the fundamental nr.r
oiple of the plan remains he sam,
City functions as a general rule ar
the same, with but few exceptions,
any, the conditions as a general rul
are the same, and the business 1.caI
Ration should be the same.
Gentlemen, 1t is a notewor'ht '1c
OF which We should be especial
proud that a city of Texas WJs h
first 20 adopt what We nov mean b
the commission plan ofgo'crnucn
The commission government of Ca
weston was inaucuIated under uuu
val circumstances II was purely q
emergency measure. The gre'
storm Of 1909 had destroyei on
third OF the city's property ard on
sixth of the population had bee
drowned. all in single NIGHT n
municipality faced ruin and w
ii lAInl.Ua It.N.HH. N.ffHf -