The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-01-15

Note.-The following article from
Golfers shows that tho advanced
stopytaken by the city of Dayton was!
the result Of the work Of the Greater
Dayton Association. Although Day
ton had Chamber OF Commerce
Which ssaisted in the WORK, ofsecur-.
), ing a better government for tie city,
nd many other local organizations
,itas. other citieslhaye, the Greater Day
ton Association starting from small
ileucleous OF four or five men, has.
become a most potent factor in the;
management of the affairs of the;
city.-Editor.
Less than twelve months ago the.
heart OF the nation leaped in SYM,
patty to flood-swept Dayton In her
hour Of travail; today the eyes of
the country are turned on that once.
stricken area to watcT u kindling
spectacle of civic rebirth and recon-
siruction. Out of ruin has come lead
ership. Such is the. resource and
the resiliency of the American city.
The new year has brought to the
whole American people no more
cheering or significant gift perhaps
than the example Of the new form of
strictly business government just in
Itstituted In the alert and undauntei
Atc;ty IN the Valley Of the Miami.
~ Under the most radical of commits
+ siop charters, providing for a city
manager administration, she leaps to
'otic fore in the march OF the munich
pality toward freedom and efficiency.
Another Distinct Step Forward. s.
fig Clearly to understand the peculiar
Importance which attaches to Day.
toms position II is first necessary to
refer briefly to the institution Of
commission government. Most peo-
pie are familiar with the straight
plan, born at Galveston, developed by
T1es Moines, and now employed by
nearly three hundred places. Its
main features are the election of a
non-partisan commission by the short
lialot, the initiative, the referendum.
and the recall; in short. an agency
for real popular rule without the aid
of political machinery.
Under this. form each commission.
Grand there are usually fivc-be-
comes head of one of the operating
hnaches of city work.
but Dayton has taken distinct
and progressive step forward in the
! development of the Whole commits;
sion idea, and because OF this really
tpochal innovation, combined with
the dramatic fight made for 1t, the
procedure becomes invested with VAL
ne for every citizen, no matter where
or under what kind of city govern
inent he happens to live. p
The Commissioner. Manager Plan.
Why should there Be any change
In a proved antidote for the ills that
have so long assailed municipal life?
Simply because the generally accept.
Cd commission plan, admirable as it
is. is neither flawless nor complete
~ businesSlike. The chief objection
las been the combination-in the
commissioners : OF. the legislative
aad administrative functions. Run
ming. city is purely an expert job.
Yot everywhere, under, old ana new
systems, men without experience or
the necessary technical training are
being called to it.
Technical experts. aud especially
those in city, matters. do not usually
run for office, and when they do run
theyigar!e' not lfkksly to: be good vote
tetters. =.
Hence came the Inspiration to
modify the stereotyped commission
1splanialong the line of business cor
tporation: that is. to elect commits,
sioners whose sole task is to cxcate
policy and then have hired expert
manager to carry it, out.
The little town OF LocKpert. up
New York state, was really the pio-;
neer in devising a charter that d.
yorccd the representative and lcgis-
lative wings and called for hired
city operator.