The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-03-21
Two Hundred Cities in Revolt.

ilc hlOoO IOindIhdDiC pOiibiCdi idOb
Of the last decade Is the rapidity wit n
which American cities are changing
their form of government.
Twelve years ago, Galveston Texas,
was practically wiped out by a tidal
wave. When the waters receded they
left the island covered with wre kage,
slime and debt. But that tidal wave
wiped out more than a single city
1t swept away-though no one dreamed
Of 1t at the time-the city boss and
the corrupt politicians from hundreds
of American municipalities.
Galveston was eft broken and bank
Tupt. The work Of econstruction-
the great problem of making the city
safe--called for the best efforts of the
strongest and ablest men. 1t was no
job for gang politicians, such as had
ruled and despoiled the city--in alli-
ance with big business during the
old days. In their extremity, the peo
pie of the city called upon the leglsla
ture and the Governor of the state to
help them. They asked that the old
form of city government be suspended
and that commission Of five strong
men be appointed, who should have
absolute charge Of every department
OF the city government.
So--with no idea of forever ending
the rule of the Boss-did Commission
Government come into existence.
The governors commission took hold
Of their great task like men. For two
years they labored nightly, while the
old politicians sulked and growled and
starved. Then there came chance
for he politicians to take the whole
question into the courts. The courts
decided that because a majority Of the
Commission was appointed by the
Governor, the whole body and Its work
was unconstitution al. Whereupon
the people rose In their wrath and
elected the same five commissioners
by vote that buried the gangsters
deeper than the tidal wave.
So the original commission" be-
came a purely popular and elective
body, though the name-now COM
plete misnomer-has struck. 1t was
five years before the Galveston anti.
toxin for the city boss disease began
to take. Houston, watching with
jealous eyes the rebirth and rapid
growth of its sister city, was the first
to follow the Galveston example, and,
on the heels Of Houston, came revolu
tion.
Between January l, 1905, and Febru-
airy 1, 1912, no less than lS6 American
cities scattered through 33 states,
adopted the commission form of gov
ernment.
More than two hundred other mu
inequalities are now seriously consider
ing the adoption of the Commission
and the Galveston idea", while not
adopted in its entirety, has materially
affected the form of government in
such great cities as Boston and Pitts
| burg
The essential features Of the Calves
ton or Commission form Of city ad
ministration are these;
l. All power and res possibility
must be centered in and confined to I
small council or com II nisslon, usually
of five members, who, by themselves
or through their own appointees, pas
all city ordinances, enforce them, anC
administer all city affairs. This som
mission is the city government.
2. The members of the commission
must be elected from the city at larg,
and not as representing any ward o
district.
3. The members Of the commission
must be the only elective odcers o
the city with the possible exception
of an auditor or school board anC
must have the power to appoint al
the subordinate admin trativ,
officials.
4. The commission must have TIN
power to remove at will any or all o
the officials it has appointed. In thli
way only can the commission, itself
be held directly responsible for result
by the people of the city.
The initiative, referendum and re
call, while the form part of tn
charter In most commission-governe'
cities, are not an essetial part Of tn
plan.-Henry M. Hyde in April Tech
nical World Magazine.