The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-11-06
AS TO COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.

relief this morning and thank their
stars that campaigns and elections are
over with for some time to come. Ov-
er large part of the country this will
be true, but In Laurens very i'm
portant election is still to be held.
True 1t is that some time yet remains
before this election Is to be held, four
or five months, but it seems that SO
much could be prohted by an early
discussion Of it that we have brought
the matter up now so that, If the citi-
zens desire it, they may begin TAX
ing some action along the line to be
suggested and then have time to per-
feet plans.
On several different occasions the
subject Of holding an election upon the
question Of commission form Of gov
ernment for Laurens has been discuss
ed by different citizens and it seems
that the idea generally met with favor.
On more than one occasion some en-
thusiastic citizen has suggested that
campaign be iuaugurated for the
purpose of institutng this plan Of
city government in Laurens, but moth
ing has been attempted along that
line UP until the present we have
considered discussion Of the question
as premature, but the time has come
when some steps should be taken to
inform the people as to the workings
or this system and then secure enough
signatures to order an election upon
1T. While we are not fully informed
as to the details to be gone through in
changing our form of government nor
OF the details in the conduct of the
commission form of government af-
ter 1t is instituted we are sure that
a majority of the citizens must eX-
press desire for it by means of an
election before 1t can be adopted.
The city of Sumter, S. c., has but re-
Gently adopted a form OF commission
government that seems to us, from the
little information which we have of it,
to fit the needs Of this city better than
any other system we have seen sug-
gested. The city of Sumter is receiv-
ing national attention because of the
adoption Of the new form of govern
ment and 1T is from national maga-
zine that we take the paragraph below,
In which is simply and briefly set
forth the salient features of the new
form or government The new char
ter of the city Of Sumter provides, in
addition to the three commissioners,
general manager of the city, under
the direction of the commissioners
About this the Scientific American
says
So far as our knowledge goes, the
city of Sumter, s. c.. is justified in
claiming that it has introduced "a new
and coming profession" Through the
secretary of its Chamber OF Commerce,
that enterprising community of ten
thousand people has announced that
applications will be received for the
Office OF city manager OF Sumter.
From the brief summary of the re-
quirements for this office, we gather
VIII have complete administrative con-
troll OF the city, subject to the approval
of board of three elected commits
sioners, and that he will hold office
so long as he gives satisfaction to the
commissioners; that his work VIII be
purely that of an expert; and that he
will be entirely free from political con-
that the applicant should be competent
to oversee public work. such as paving,
lighting. water supply. etc. that an
engineer would be preferred; that he
must state what has been his previous
experience in municipal work; that he
troll; finally, although local conditions
and tradition will be taken into con-
sideration, local citizenship will not
be necessary. Il
The announcement concludes by des-
ignating this as "a splendid chance
for the right man to make a record in
a new and coming profession; since
this is the first time that permanent
charter position of this sort has been
created in the United States" If the
last statement is correct, the Scientific
American congratulates the little city
on having inaugurated a movement
whose beneficial results in the order
ly, economical and righteous admins
tration of municipal affairs will ma
themselves increasingly apparent.
Further than the clipping above. The
Advertiser does not today attempt to
give any Of the information necessary
to have in hand in order to derive at
proper understanding of this form
of government We are not well in
formed as to the details ourselves, but
we know that the new form Of govern
ment has proven very successful in