The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-19

park and police commissioners are
under tho same general control OF the
common council and the board or
estimates. They are required 10 use
the money committed TO them for the
particular purpose for which It 10 ap-
propriated.'
Depends On Man. Oust Says.
Whether n one-man or a three-man
board IL better as head OF tho pro
posed municipal street railway de-
ponds largely on the persons appoint
ed. and on who appoints them said
William 7. Dust. Rep iblican candt-
date-atlarge for the charter commits
sion.
My inclination Is In favor OF n
one-man regime. such IA has been
found successful In our police depart
ment. That man ought TO be Of high
caliber The first man 10 occupy the
position must be- exceptionally able.
since the work OF organizing the road
will fall on his shoulders. Once the
scheme has been worked out, the
railway ought TO run along without
much trouble.
"The advantage Of a oneman COM
missioner over a three-man board Is
that the people can place the respon.
sibility without question or hesitation
II things go wrong under the single
head regime, whereas with three men
the responsibility will be shifted and
divided until the public is unable to
discover who Is responsible for weak
ness or failure In the management.
"All big undertakings have one
head who Is held personally RESPONSE
BILE for everything that goes on under
him. Business men do not spread re-
sponsibility over several individuals.
What the Detroit municipal railway
needs at its head Is good executive
who will be able to find the proper
men to do the required work. He
should be surrounded by trained
street railway men, familiar with all
problems Of operation, who will be
able to tell him just what he wants
TO know He himself need not be q
practical street railway man; but he
must have high-class executive abil-
ity.
Board Plan Has Failed.
Detroit has tried the board plan,
and In several departments has found
It unsuccessful The d. p. w.. for in
stance, cannot be- controlled by a
board. We learned that several years
ago. Since we have had one.man
head, the department has been much
more efficient than 1t ever was under
a board. We ought now TO abolish
the board Of assessors, and appoint
in its place one assessor, with cap
able STAFF OF field men. The assessor
should have absolute control Of his
staff: and believe that with the prop.
er men, the assessing Of Detroit could
be done in a few weeks, as 1t is done
In Boston. The assessor would then
become responible for the work OF the
entire city. Under our present sys-
tenn, 1t is almost impossible to fix re
sponsibility for poor assessing. OF
even to arrive at an equitable scheme
for assessing the entire city In one
year.
( 80 l am In favor OF single com
missioner for the street railway sys
tenn, TO be appointed by the mayor
and to be removed by the mayor Il
he prove incompetent. The people
through Tn mayor, would have SUI
ficient check on him: and change o
policy could be effected at one stroke
whereas 1t would take some time anC
be matter Of considerable difficult!
TO change the complexion OF a board.
John g. Howarth said: II have no
been able to make up my mind on thu
relative merits OF q single commits
sioner and three-man board plan
AS a general rule, l am in favor o.
centering responsibility In one man;
but / have not given this situation
sufficient thought to be able TO make
a definite decision"