The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-11
COMMISSIONS IN EMERGENCIES.

Attention Is being directed to the collapse Of
the municipal government at Dayton O., in the
calamity that befel that city in the recent foods
The government is Of the old-fashioued kind in
use IN the average American city. 1t was in
adequate TO meet an emergency and few strong
men assumed, or were given. control Of affairs
ard quickly brought order from confusion aud
started the work Of restoration The facts are
given as illustrating the need for the commits
sion form Of government and the superiority of
that form for all possibilities.
Here in Richmond we have a modification Of
the commission system. our people may ponder
how II would operate in the face Of sudden dis
aster. II the James river should rise to Frank
lin street or If a fire swept straight through the
city from Chimborazo to Candles HILL what
would our administrative board do? Would It
meet and debate on relief measures. lay PROPOSE
lions aside and take mp matters Of routine.
Would 1t divide 8 to on suggestions TO appeal to
the governor to put the militia in charge or
postpone action until further INFORMATION could
he obtained? How far We could rest securely
and go forward confidently trusting to our board
is question yet 10 be determined The body
has not so far indicated any remarkable aptitude
for grasping situations quickly or dealing with
them vigorously.
Experience has proved that when sudden and
terrific misfortunes overwhelm the usual al.
thority Of a community and destroy its ordinary
machinery few strong men rise or are called
from the general body Of citizenship and take
control. regardless Of precedent, even putting
aside temporarily the law itself In Galveston It
happened that the mayor himself the man
for the time Almost by daylight the morning
after the horrible night Of destruction there he
had his organization begun, Trusted men with
shotguns were at work shooting ruthessly the
hooters who were robhing dead bodies and nvad-
ing ruined homes There was no question of ar,
rests or enquiries. Men found in the act were
killed in their tracks. LawIessness and pilage
were stopped in day. with the disposal of the
thousands OF dead bodies threatening pestilence
the measures were equally energetic, No attempts
at Identification were made. one body was as
dangerous TO the living as another All that
could be found were loaded on hargcs and sent
out to sea or piled in heaps along the beach
and burned. The rapdity Of the restoration Of
%
vellous There was occasion for quick and des-
perate work and the man present to do 1t and
take all the responsibility.
The general efficiency of the commission form
OF municipal government has been proved in
some instances and left doubtful In others The
value OF such government IN unexpected calamity
has not been tested. 1t all comes back to the
character and spirit Of the people No form
or system of government or code of laws will
deliver a community from the sloth. indifference
or neglect Of its own citizens. no city can pro-
vide itself with strong and capable men com
manding. public confidence In any emergency
without the preliminary aid Of the thoughtful
and patriotic voter. Amy city can select the com
mission form and elect its commission But
commissions do not do mighty works auto
matcally nor achieve reforms merely BY being
called commissions. The close scrutiny by the
individual Of the work done. the careful selection
Of the men composing the body. are the first
acts toward success. The old form Of city gov
eminent almost inevitably fails in emergencies
The new form likewise wan fail invariably If
voters fail Of their duty on election day. So far
as concerns Richmond, it is for the five men
composing our present board 10 demonstrate
whether or not their body is failure and
whether the voters made mistakes in choosing
any or all Of them,