American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-05-22
THE COMMISSION , FORM
GOVERNMENT
By GEORGE r. LEITCH

fruitage of mans best efforts!
Just as the gloomy days during
the critical period of our nations
history have been Illuminated by
the conceptions of a national re-
publican government. which have
made us one OF the grandests most
prosperous and happiest of all ma
lions, just SO has disaster helped us
to discover one of the richest bles-
sings In municipal government.
After the great calamity in Calves
ton, Texas, in the year of 1900, the
rehabilitation Of the city needed a
strong, efficient direction from it's
governing body which it's complex.
unavoidable government could not
give. The people we're, many of
them, without homes and in ex-
IRENE need. Only those who have
experienced similar disasters can
realize haw great was the suffering
and distress of the people. Some
thing definite had to be done at
once. They must know upon whom
to depend for the various lines of
improvement, and remaking of their
city. Most of the citizens felt that
what they needed was some form
of dictatorship, with the power con-
~centrated, but srtong and prompt.
But finally the Legislature granted
them a charter for a form of gov
eminent that was destined to ac-
complish results for the people. to
give them a government free from
graft and other evils, common in
the former system.
The city council and other city
officers were abolished. All power
and authority pertaining to the
city was placed in the hands of five
e They were the sole managers
of the city's affairs.
These commissioners were 1t first
appointed by the governor but final
ly came to be chosen by the popu-
lar vote. To each man was given
a particular department of work. HA
duties were definite. He was paid
a salary for his services and the
people expected, and had a right to
expect that he should render them
efficient service. If any particular
phase of the work was sighted,
the people knew to whom to carry
their complaints and thus there
rs No nhift-r~ 90 .Arraancili-
lily. If any commissioner failed to
do his duty the people could re-
move him from office.
The idea of this new government
quickly spread to Houston and then
to Dallas, and then two years later,
it took DOT in Des Moines. But
the particular plan adopted in these
cities is not the universal type. If
we were to analyze the charters of
these cities, we would find that
they differ somewhat in detail. The
fundamental structure of all, how
ever, is this: A body of foul men
with a chief executive, isappointed,
to each of whom is given a particu-
line of duty, such as care for
the revenue and finance, street and
public property. water and sewer !
age. and police and fire.
The more common system of gov
eminent is that which is sometimes
Jailed the ward system. Kansas
municipal government, be-
fore she took up the commission
affords a good example of
his system. The city's business
vas controlled by a council of ,
.welvc men, and the city was di- :.
iioed into six wards, each of which, .
s.-cted a councilman every spring =
serve a term of two years. The :,
vas elected at large. For
earS one ward was controlled by W
same official, the anne our -
.ilman being elected, sometimes on :
me ticket, and sometimes on an :.
'ther. Fol years the appointments
o the street, fire, police, and other
departments were divided pro rata y
LllOliS Iue tOulltlluitn- AltHOdSA
h fire department was rescued from y
his method of supervision, by ="
it under civil service, this .
eform could not be made in other =
departments. =
Certain wards chose their repre- u
entatives, too often, one with some ="
pull, one who was not at =
interested in civic advancement, Il
n one who knew nothing about the y
york.
But upon the Introduction of the .
commission form of government in -
iites VIII Itch have been thus handi- :,
conditions meet with a .
wonderful change. Ward lines y
nd Marty tickotc ara ohlifaratad u