Evening star., 1913-11-13
GOVERN CITIES
ON MANAGER PLAN
System Indorsed in Report
Made to the National Mu-
nicipaI League.
SCHEME is ELABORATED
AT THE TORONTO MEETING
Washington Man Member of the
Committee Which Makes the
Recommendation.

TORONTO, November 13-The ..city
manager plan of the municiI,al govern
iheht was explained and heartily indorsed
at the nineteenth annual meeting of the
Sationai Municipal League today by the
special committee appointed two and a
nan years ago at the Richmond meeting
10 study the problem of commission gov
ernment and its Developments
commission government at present rules
more than 100000 persons in 100 cities
| and towns. The supporters of the plan
| are divided as to whether commissioners
Should be elected for specific posts, as in
| Lynn, Mass, or on a general ticket, with
power to divide the departments among
| themselves after election, as in Galveston
and Des Moines
| The majority of the committee, how
| ever. reported that neither solution was
/ aS SOUND as that offered by the plan of
electlng a commission purely representa-
4 tive and legislative in function, permit
| tlnS the members to give only part time
1 10 municipal work and receive nominal
/ salaries or none and leave the chief ex-
! ecutlNe work to city manager hired by
| the commission from anywhere in the
country and holding office at it's pleasure
MS manager appoints and controls the
remaining city employees, subject to ade-
/ quate civil service provision.
First Test in South Carolina.
ne Hrst city. manager plan was en-
podled IN a charter prepared for the city
OIL Lockport. \. T., in 1911. The propo-
sition. however. failed to get the approval
OF the state legislature. The plan was
frst adopted by the legislature of South
Carolina for the city of Sumter and went
INTO effect there on the first of the present
year Since then it has been adopted by
HICKORY and Morgantown. \. G.; DAYTON
and Springfield Ohio; La Grande, Ore.
Phoenix, AriZ.. and Morris, MINI.
The advantages of the plan were point
! eu out by the committee in it's report
as follows:
1T creates a single-handed admins
trative establishment instead of the five
| separate administrative esta blishments
| seen in the Des Moines plan. This ad-
ministrative unity makes for harmony
between municipal departments since ali
| are subject to common head.
ne city manager plan permits ex-
pertneSs IN administration at the point
where it is most valuable-namely, at
the head.
Comparative Permanence Assured.
! 1T permits comparative permanence in
the Office of the chief executive, whereas $
In all plans involving elective executives
long tenures are rare
II permits the chief executive to mi
crate from city to city, inasmuch as the
sts manager is not to be necessarily
resident of the city at the time of his
/ appointment. and thus an experienced
man can be summoned at advanced sal
ary from a similar post in another city.
| nile glv1n" single-headed admin
/ r u nhn1fs-
er seen in the old mayor-and-council
| pian The manager has no Independence
| and the city need not suffer from his per
sonar Whlms or prejudices, since he is
s.h shoJee. 20 instant correction or even dis
.harse py the commission. Likewise. in
the commission. each members individual
| whims or prejudices are safely sub
| merged and averaged in the combined
Juds sment of the whole commission, since
no member exerts any authority in the
municipal government save as one yotin .
| member of the commission
II aoandons ali attempts to choose
:auiiiih:strators by popular election. This
/ is desirable because
~ leaves the lines of responsibility nm
nlsiakaD!y clear avoiding the confnsion
In the Des Moines plan between the ra-
| spohslDiiity of the individual commission
| whole. "
Basis for Discipline and HARMONY
/ 1t provides basis for better discin,;n.
ana harmony, inasmuch as the city man
/ aSer cannot safely be at odds with tho
! commission as can the Des Moines conn
missioners in their capacity as depart
ment heads. or the mayor with the coun-
/ Gil IN the niayor-and-council plan
! 1t is better adapted for large cities
/ than the Des Moines pan.
| In very small cities, by providing the
services of the well paid manager. in
stead of five or three paid commissl oners.
4 IS makes possible economy in salaries
and overhead expenses
/ 1t creates positions membership in
! the commission) which should be attrac-
/ tive 10 tirst-class citizens. since the sery-
ice offers opportunities for high useful
| ness. without interruption of their private
! careers
| Inc committee commission govern
| ment making this report consists OF Rich
ard ). Childs. secretary of the National
! Short Ballot Association. chairman: Prof.
| Char,es 4. Beard. Columbia University>
Prof. William Bennett Munro Harvard
| University: Clinton Rogers Woodruff.
Philade phia. and DR.. Ernest S Bradford.
Washington ID. c.. author of Commits
SION Government in American Cities"