The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-22

tho people are clamoring for this
change. Tho demand comes from all
quarters of tho Old North State If the
present gait is kept up. It will not
be long until 1t leads all the States OF
the South I'm putting into operation the
best and most satisfactory form of
municipal government that has yet
been devised in the United Statep.
Wilmington, the second city In size
in the State, adopted commission rule
two years ago. 2nd 1t has proved de-
cided success. Raleigh, third in size.
is considering similar departure from
the antiquatcd councilmanic method of
city administration. Led by the Cham
Der of Commerce. the people OF the
North Carolina capital are carrying on
an admirable campaign OF education
that will surely end in the establish
mcnt of the system.
The wavo in North Carolina is n
part Of the tide that is sweeping over
the country. Commission government
prevails i'll almost 800 towns and
cities. Last month sixty places adopt
cd X; BY the census OF 1910, there
were in the United States more than
LOO incorporated places possessing
more than 5000 population. Twenty
per cent of these have already adopt
cd commission rule. yet that form Is
hut twelve years old. Alabama has
nine commission governed municipali-
ties. Birmingham. with 1872 popu-
lation. Ia the largest. and Hartselle
with 1.G4T, the smallest. This method
applies with practically equal success
TO mere hamlcts and TO great cities.
New Orleans, with almost 100000 popu-
lation. is the largest city under this
plan Of administration. Twelve Cali
fornia municipalities have 1t. Oakland,
with 10000 population. being the
chief: Colorado has four cities under
the plan; Illinois. 20; Iowa. s; Kansas.
80 Louisiana, Z: Massachusetts, S:
Michigan. 5; Mississippi, 2; Minnesota.
4: Nebraska, 4; New Jersey. S; Okla
homa, s: South Carolina, 8; South Da-
kota. 13; Tennessee 4; Texas. 10;
Utah, s. Washington. S; Wisconsin, T.
The commission form also obtains in
n number of cities in Georgia. Idaho,
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana,
New Mexico, North Dakota. Oregon,
West Virginia and Wyoming. Com
mission government is no longer an
experiment in the United States; it has
demonstrated Its efficiency.
Yet Virginia is isolated from this
movement. While one of our munich
palities has put into operation a modi-
fled form of commission government.
10 Virginia city or town is under n real
commission form. Is it not high time
that Virginia begin to give it a trial?
Under the constitutional amendment
passed in November, our municipali-
ties are enabled to choose any form
OF government they desire. subject to
the approval of the General Assembly
II any town city Is DESTROYS of
adopting the commission form, II is
time for 1t to get busy. for less than
n year remains until the Legislature
be secured in the way of new form
OF municipal government until the
General Assembly OF 1916 meets. Why
10 not some OF our cities and towns
consider the question of commission
government. and its innumera BILE adj
vantaGes over the present forms with
a view to calling an election TO decide
whether or not II shall be adopted?
North Carolina is aroused TO the ire
mendous superiority OF commissions
government over any other form.
How much longer will Virginia NUM-
cipalities wait before availinG them
selves OF the benefits OF this efficient,
economical and popular system of ad-
ministration?