The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-08

FUNDS was the exception which PROV
ed the rule. He was in favor of the
commission form of government with
the departmental system.
Or. Baker explained that the reason
that the act had not been put before
the people before. was because it
had been impossible to get it from
the secretary Of state and that it had
been secured as soon as possible. Mr..
Belser stated that the act was State
wide with an amendment at the end
referring especially TO Sumter and
some sections applied to Sumter and
some did not. Mr.. Boyle insisted on
his point that since the council was
given power to repeal ordinances it
might repeal the ordinances estab-
fishing the school board. the water
commission and other boards which
were now established. against which
he was opposed. 1t was pointed out
that the school board and the board
Of health We're created 10y special acts
Of the legislature and nothing that
council could do could touch them
Mr.. Boyle pointed to the fact that
formerly banks were managed by one
or two men. whereas now they were
required by law to have a governing
board of directors he thought the city
also should have governing board of
aldermen.
MIR. III. u. Moise made an impress
sive argument in favor of having a
head for tho city which should be the
head of all departments. He thought
that the more persons there were in
this governing body. the better SER
vice II would give, as, by having a
large number in it, politics and ties
Of relationship or friendship would
not be so apt to cause the selection
or incompetent city officials. He de-
duced his conclusions from what he
had observed in cities all along the At
lantic Coast from New York to Flor
Ida. a person could manage his pri-
vate office. or his bank, or his 9TH
er business because he had control
over It, but where one department
had to work with another department.
without common head To direct.
there was constant danger of friction.
He stated that Sumter was as we'll
governed town as any he had ever
visited. and that it was free from
graft. something other towns were
not free Of, and he was assured that
the men could he found in Sumter to
do any work which was found neces-
sary. The governing board must have
limited mower, t. must he rroh,h'.od
nom trying 20 10 those things &c
knew nothing about Int must get
competent men 20 do the work
Nj Epps then made some te-
marks concerning flaws in the law
which was passed. He also pointed
out some possibilities which might
occur under the commission form act,
which would make it undesira bile.
He stated that he had not yet come
to any conclusion as to how he would
vote on election day and that his
mind was still unprejudiced and open
to influence from either side. but
these few objections to the accept
ance of the act had come to his mind
while listening to the other speakers
arguing their points. One thing of
importance he mentioned was the fact
that Mr.. Jennings had stated that
the water work system had been in
stalled at small cost and sold to the
city at a great profit. The present
council might find that they had done
the same ching before many years
were out in granting the gas fran
chise. He pointed ont the fact that
there would he great confusion in
the use of the initiative. recall and
referendum and the use Of these fea-
lures OF the act would cause much
expense. He did not think that n
man could be secured who would he
;apahle OF doing everything-Or at
least be an expert in all of the lines Of
city work
Mr.. t.. Il; Helser defended the bill
which had been attacked bv Mr.
hpp" lie thought that if there were
any Objectionable or unnecessary fea-
lures theSc could he repealed by the
'cS'Siature at its next session.
Mf. W. l." Lee thought that the
'cNt ol the law ought TO he STRAIGHT
cned out.
Dr Baker called attention to tho
fact that the law itself stated thot