Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-12-14


HonoluIu's present struggle with
the problems Of city government, the
certainty that some kind Of a change
IN the present charter must be made
ny the next legislature, the intense
interest with which new progressive
plans are now being discussed, makes
the article below particularly timely
II tells how one city, Staunton, Va.
has rescued itsaIf from bankruptcy
by the appointment Of a city manager
and the rehabilitation Of power in
him. The article is by Henry oyen
in the Worlds Work:
One Saturday afternoon in April
1908, crew OF workingmen employ
ed on the streets of Staunton, Va
pushed their way up to the city pay
masters window, drew their pay.
checks, looked at them in surprise
then drew together and talked 1t over
At last one of them stepped back TO
the window
Say, boss" he said, these checks
are all wrong.
What's the matter with them
why, they give us three DAYS pay
for the week"
We'll, that's right. You only work
ed three, days. The other three days
it rained. Three. days pay is all you
earned. That's simple enough, isn't
it,"
But. boss" protested the man:
this Is city job! We never heard
OF anything like this before. When
II. rains we always go over IN the
school house basement and sit and
talk, and our time goes on Just the
same
well, 1t won't any more" was the
sharp answer. There's been a
change. There is a General Manager
in this town now, and city job has
ceased to be loafer's cincn, From
now on city money is going to, buy
just as much as private money. Do
you understand ?ss Ssss
Mister said the man, that's
something that | just can't believe. !"
In this fashion the "Staunton Plan"
of municipal management was inaug-
urated and received. BY ii a step
forward in the science of city govern
ment has been taken A regularly
incorporated American city with its
business affairs managed on strict
ly business basis, as the affairs of a
business corporation are managed,
with economy and efficiency the
watchwords in place of politics and
spoils, has become realityan es-
tablished fact in history, by which
other cities may take their bearings
in this day of strenuous casting about
Gov Ao 1Off ~
City Government.
Stanton, Va, planted down
'mongst the blue-veiled hills of the
lower Shenandoah Valley, population
approximating 12se00. has had for the
last three yearseof since March. 1908.
Business IN the City Hall, : as no
.lother city has mad il. During these
years 1t has been municipal corpor-
alton turned into business corpora.
ton. II has had General Manager.
!. one man carefully selected, hired,
and paid, to manage its business af-
fairs as business affairs should be
managed And in these three years
Staunton has. been made over. 1t has
lifted from md 10 asphalt. A fine
old town, which was sagging badly
at its foundaE ion. las been placed on
sound basis without any increase in
city expenditures. and the fact has
been established that under honest,
capable business management-under
The Staunton Plan as ii has been op-
Grated in Staunton-the value of the
city's money to the city is increased
by at least 100 per cent. .--
The Situation.
To appreciate the history of this
, remarkable civic experience il is well
to know something of Stanton, the
scene of the innovation.
II is not a progressive town, as Des
Moines. is progressive, or memphis,
or Kansas City. 1t. is an o;G town
with traditions that reach back to
the days of the Old South. The
growth of It's population is less than
The natural Increase 1t runs to
church spires and schools rather than
10 smoke-Stacks and industries. Gov.
Woodrow Wilson was born there in
the manse Of the old Presbyterian
church. Tho manse today has a
new coat OF olive green paint; other
wise it is the same as When old Doc
tor WIlsIsa Numbered in the pulpit
D6AI NbUuIO" " llSOtl
from Stanton at the early age OF a
lew months. Many have followed III
the Governors Young footsteps.
Staunton has regarded their depart
ure with eCuanimity. The city has
not developed much. Instead ii has
succeeded in Iaising and uncommon.
Iy fine crop of intelligent and eduCat-
ed citizerS. That is why the Plan
came TO ; avn;Ol.
These intelligent and educated citi.
zens ma u aj'y were not skiiied in the
science 6 =. Wn management any
more Il an Tue citizens OF any town
Are sk!!',d IN this science. They
were la|, c. :. bankers. merchants and
so on. IN their various vocations
they w. eNperts, and successful. In
the c.. ....-Ehieh was something