The Pensacola journal., 1913-02-15

S4O- SoNCAuAHcut 10 the OpllmISm 1t
makes possible to bring back into our
municipal politics.
L The small directly responsible >ad-
ninistrative body. resembling the
board Of directors of a private cor
poration, takes the place of the mayor,
council and various boards among
which the powers and duties pertain
Ing to municipal administration have
been divided in the past. All other
officers and employees of the citS are
selected by the commissioners.
Immediately upon taking charge of
the city government the commissioners
are assigned to their respective de-
partmentS, the duties and powers OF
which are clearly defined The COM
mission by a majority vote elects all Of
the heads Of the different depart
nents. The department heads will
necessarily be selected according 70
their qualification and fitness. Their
duties will have to be performed sys-
tematically and accurately. The COM
missioner in charge Of any department
could not tolerate inefficiency or ne
glect. AS the commissioner must make
good to the voters at large. he can
do so only by perfecting his crganiza-
ton and requiring absolute service
from each individual IN his depart
ment. II any officer or employee dis
regards his duty, he is removed. but
not until his case has been passed
upon by the commissioner Of that de-
partment. and IL necessary reviewed
by the whole board. II from
malice or prejudice an employee is
removed and upon trial his case is de-
cided in his favor. he resumes his
duties and is paid for all time lost
during such investigation. II the COM
missioner fails in his duty he sub
jects himself to the recall provision Of
the charter.
No franchise or right to use the
streets, wharves, ETC.. can be granted,
renewed or extended except by ordi-
nance. When a franchise is to be
granted the ordinance is published for
thirty days, IL for any reason 20 per
cent of the qualified voters object TO
this grant an election must be held,
at which time every voter in the city
has an opportunity to express his
opinion on such grant II the COM
missioners decide to pave certain
streets, and their decision does not
meet with the approval of the voters,
then the voters have the right to sub
init an ordinance to the commission
ers, calling for the paving OF streets
as sought by the petitioners. If a
majority vote of the election sustains
the ordinance the streets as sug-
gested by the petitioners will be
paved. In all events the citizens have
a say in the question. How very DIFF
ferent from existing conditions.
/ The commissioners are REQUIRED to
print and effectively distribute, in
pamphlet form, each month. a detailed
itemized statement of all receipts and
expenses and a summary OF its pro-
ceedings during the preceding month.
At the end of each year the commits
sion must have full and complete ex-
animation of all the books and ac-
counts Of the city made, by a compe-
/ tent accountant, and publish the re-
! port in pamphlet form. But stronger
| still is the provision that makes it
possible for the citizens to have an
! exhaustive examination made Of all
books and accounts, by a state exam
liner, under the direction of the gov
ernor.
The question has been raised as to
whether or not the citizens could get
three competent men to serve as COM
missioners. There is no reason why,
IL given the opportunity, this city
could not elect three men TO be re-
| sponsible for the conduct or three
great, definite departments OF it's busi-
| ness, could not make the choice with
a good degree Of intelligence, as to
the character and capacity Of the
man. And every known principle Of
social action gives emphasis to the be-
lief that the directnsss and simplicity
Of the issue, the concentration OF pub
lie attention on the same candidates
In all parts OF the city, the clearer
realization Of the Importance Of the
! interests at stake, the dignity and
| value Of the individual ballot as reach
ing to every part of the administfa-
! tion and counting as a city instead of
a ward factor, would give a conquer
ing impetus to the wave of popular
sentiment involved in such a contest.
Public sentiment once fully aroused
and united in our city has an electric
quality which sweeps all before IT,
The commissioners are to receive
average salaries, for this class Of SER
vice, and good men wifi be a1le 20
put aside their individual interests to
assume conmissionership. A COM
missioner will not have to surrender
his connection with other enterprises
in the city, he simply is required to
! give all OF his time during specified
] hours to the affairs OF the city.
Besides the safeguards embodied in
the recall and publicity sections of
the committee charter, the commits
sioners are each placed under a bond
of $4,000 in a surety company having
net assets Of one and one-half million
dollars.
A citizen who Is ambitious to serve
his fellow citizens in an cficial capac-
fly has the opportunity OF proving his
worth, while at the same time the citi-
zens at large are secure In ell events
The charter as proposed by Mr.
Jones has a mayor, ten commissioners,
q board Of equalization, board OF
bond trustees and board OF wharf
commissioners, seventeen men in all
The committee provides for three
men, and no boards.
AS, in a private business so con-
Quoted. everything goes wrong and
much of the time of wrangIing heads