The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-09
SPLENDID TALK ON
COMHISSIONSYSTEM
HENRY z. WHITE TOLD OF THE
DIES MONIES PLAN AND SHOW
ED HOW EFFICIENT THE COM.
MISSION SYSTEM Is-coNGRAT-
uLATEs FARGo's STAND.

Taking the position that a city gov
eminent should be managed Just as a
man would manage his own pc :sonal
business, Henry Il. White Of the Henry
George LecturiI" bureau, delivered a.
powerful address at a Joint meeting
last night of the Town Criers and the
commons clubs, after a splendid din
ner at the commercial club which was
served by the Fire Co. There was a
good attendance and the meeting was
a very Interesting one.
The principal theme of the address
was on the Des Moines plan Of COM
mission government which Fargo has
in a measure patterned after.
But he did not confine his remarks
to describing just the Des Moines plan
for he went over the different plans
that were in use and showed how they
worked. He said hat it was proposed
to put into execution the different ideas
that a man would use in his personal
business into the public business and
he could see no reason whatever why
this was no right and proper. He be-
lieVed common sense should be used in
public affairs just as in private bust
ness,
He thought it was wise to employ
the best men who could be secured as
officers OF the city and when good men
were elected to the commission they
undoubtedly would act without regard
to political Affiliations.
Mr.. White reviewed the ineficiency
Of the old aldermanic form Of govern
ment and said that it didn't touch the
spot and he recited the fact that of
the hundreds of towns that had taken
up the commission form Of government
there were none that were making any
attempt to get back to the mayor and
councilmen plan. Under the commits
sion form of government there Is Just
man at the head of a department
and he is looked up to Sby the people
to give the best that can be had. and
If he does not there is a way to see
that he retires from office.
This is much like your private bus
mess. You have a manager for this
and that department and if that man
ager doesn't come up to the require
ments off goes his head. You make that
manager responsible to you for his
work and he must do the best work
He said where there were a score or
more people endeavoring to run some
business or institution they could not
blame 1t. on each. other, but under the
commission form each man must at
tend to his own business and be re-
sponsible for it. This centraIizes the
responsibility, and you put all Of the
public influence up to one Individual
and he is pretty sure to do the right
thing. ...O
He told of the way in which the
people of Chicago went about to grant
franchises through the council and of
the dead failure that was made. Then
he took up he, Kansas City manner of
doing the. same work by the commits
sion form and how we'll the matter was
handled. In Chicago the citizens had
no redress but in Kansas City they
had, for when the commission threaten
ed to give grants that were not looked
upon with favor the recall was sum-
moned. and the people after the com
mission had done the work, called an
election and undone all that the com
mission had done. 1t worked we'll.
Mr.. White reviewed the splendid
work OF the Des Moines commission
and in closing his address congratulate
ed Fargo on the stand she had taken
the day before and prophesized great
| results theretrom,