The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-06-15
Commission GOVERNMENT.
Origin and Provisions OF the New
Plan Of Municipal Administration
Galveston the Birthplace Of
Civic Movement that is Sweeping
the Country.

Kansas City Star:
The general provisions of commits
sion government which mark the dis
tlnctlon between the new rule and
the Old ward plan, arc the following:
The mayor and commissioners are
nominated at a non-partisan primary.
The two candidates for mayor and
the eight candidates for commission
ers are made the official candidates
IsSt the city election.
No mark, emblem or party designa-
lion Of any character can be printed
upon the primary or election ballots
to designate the political party to
| i hich the candid ates belong
| No public franchise grant nan ba
| awarded by the commissioners with
out first submitting the proposition
to a popular vote if 10 per cent of
!, the voters petition for such an cleo
I tion
No franchise can be granted for
any conditions for longer period
Than twenty years.
The city has the power at all
Tines to regulate rates charged the
pubic under any franchise grant, and
| the authority to determine the rea-
sonabeness of rates charged.
No franchise can be granted for
the use of the streets and alleys, un-
less the city first receives adequate
compensation for such grant, and
this compensation must be in addi-
i ton to any agreement entered into
for any per cent of the receipts re-
I ceived by the city under the fran
chise contract.
i The people by petition may initiate
and adopt ordinances.
1 They may, by petition, recall the
commissioners at any time and elect
/ others.
The commissioners are required TO
/ give a $4,000 bond to protect tie
city against any financial loss by
reason Of their incompetence, me-
glect of duty or dishonest practices.
/ Appointments to clerkship and posi-
tions In the various departments
rnust be made from the civil service.
The commissioners are prohibited
from exceeding the revenues of their
departments To draw warrant for
4 sum exceeding the amount of cash
on hand causes them to vacate their
offices without a court trial,
The Origin of the New Rule.
! Out Of the flood which wrecked
Galveston in 1900 came commission
| government. After the disaster that
/ destroyed the city the citizens UNDER
took the work Of rebuilding new
Galveston. The difficulty they en-
countered was not a lack Of conf
dence on the part of the people; not
in the lack Of civic pride; not for
eluacy ofthe old form of government
TO Aake the lead and command tho
work Of rebuilding The city.
| Galveston found that an irFaspon-
sible government could not assume
the responsibility necessary to It's
great undertaking. The citizens tn
duced the mayor and councilmen to
resign and abandon the old scheme.
They went to the legislature ard Sc
cured the abolition Of the old COM
Gil plan and the creation of a cora-
mission Of five men, each to be re-
Gponsible for one Of the departn1 eHts
OF the city business. Three Of tgts1ll
we're appointed BY the goyerner at
the beginning, but after 2 supreme
court decision nullifying the Law on
! that account Galveston worked out
/ the idea Of q commission 10 be
elected by the people.
When the commissioners first took
hold Of the city government they
found that the old council had left
them q floating debt Of more than
i 100000 and bonded indebtedness OF
/ $4,000, 900.
/ That was in addition to the tre-