The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1913-08-07
Commission Government for
States.

Capitalization of government, aud
many people favored large legislative
bodies, so that the people could get a
government that was supposed to be
lirected from the people themselves.
But the sentiment is changing. The
people are not much alarmed about
my Capitalization of government
they care little whether the govern
nent is administered by seven persons
jr ten persons. What they wish is
better government, regardless Of the
number of persons who have charge OF
public affairs.
Perhaps the day is not far off when
states will be governed by commits
lions In recent issue of Bonds aud |
Mortgages, one of the high-c,ass papers
n the interest of the loaning OF funds, |
It was pointed out that growing out
Jf the modern dissatisfaction with the
methods of state legislatures and en-
;ouraged by the success attending the
government of cities 10y commission,
an agitation Of the application of the
same plan to counties and states is re
;eiving serious discussion.
First suggested in Oregon two years
Igo, il received official sanction in a
special message to the Kansas legisla-
Jure--its delays, confusion and care
less attention to vital things, SurNiv-
ing as an imitation of the English par
liment, with one body representing
The nobility and the other the common
people, he declares that 1t is in no way
suitable to our civiliz Ition aud that
the state deserves more businesslike
! management. Looking on the com
munwealth as vast establishment
conducted for the benefit of It's citizens
it demands an administrative head con-
stantly responsive to the needs Of the
people,
Governor Hodges proposes a single
house composed of elective members
OF c or at the most two, from each con.
gressional district, Of which the gov.
ernor shall be eX-Oticio head that this
body shall enact the legislation de-
manded as conditions arise and shall
be responsible for tire management of
he states affairs; that the members
shall be paid salaries that will warrant
demanding all their time and shall be
permanently in session at the capital
This legislative body, he points out,
will be less expensive than the averag
legislature which in fifty days attempts
to transact the business OF the STATE
Tor two years, much OF its work being
ill.digested and necessitatipg constant
amendment and frequent repeal by
succeeding sessions.
The approval OF so revolun tionary 4
change in our methods OF governing
states by an official communication ha,
set the country thinking Governor
Hodges is the first democratic governor
Of Kansas in thirty years and the sec.
und IN iJs history, bat he is an earnest
progressive aud his personality has
been marked in the laws adopted by
the Kansas legislature at its recent
sessions, notably in combining the va.
rious state boaros into few well-paid
commissions of three members each.
with full administrative powers.
The new idea Of state go"crnment
will be live issue in Kansas in the
next campaign, and wiIlprobably come
before the voters in the form OF con.
stitutional amendment two years later
Forty cities of Kansas have commits
zion government and their lesson will
go far to incline the people ravorably
toward the proposed change. That we
shall see eventually revision of our
state legislature is certain, and the
commission idea is one worth careful
considerations --OklAhoman