The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-11

work am trying to do In my COM
paratviely new position as a village
superintendent. II may perhaps be
construed as a bad commentary on
the prevailing type of municipal gov
eminent that I should be asked to
do 30. Industrial and public service
corporations are appointing superin-
tendents every day az a matter Of
routine. and nothing Is thought of
it: and Il Is only because municipal
administration has Jagged behind In
eniciency that the employment Of a
municipal superintendent is not an
everyday matter also.
Before coming to River Forest I
was for sixteen years connected with
public service corporation, and for
some time have had an ambition TO
apply the efficiency principles which
there learned TO municipal manage
ment. My study seemed to drift nat
urally In that direction and I kept
In close touch with developments In
municipal management in other parts
OF the county.
Several years ago the mayor and
city council of staunton. Va, turned
over practically all their authority to
general manager and found that
under the new plan one dollar Of pub
lie money went as far was two dol
lars had gone before.
In June. 1912. the City Of Sumter.
8. c.. went q step further. I, got q
special act passed through the State
legislature. and in pursuance Of It
elected three commissioners. in whom
was vested all the legislative and
executive powers OF the city govern
ment. with instructions to employ q
city manager at q good salary and put
him to work. SO far Sumter. with its
$4,000 people. Ia more than satisfied
with its experiment.
Now comes Dayton. o., with 1885,
900 population. and after q couple of
heated campaigns adopts the Sum-
ter plan In Its entirety. In May last,
taking advantage OF the amendment
20 the State constitution. the city
voted overwhelmingly In favor OF the
adoption Of a new charter. In August
charter. prepared by o citizens
for the election OF Ave commission
err. who shall appoint general man
aser. was submitted 10 the people for
com aittee OF fifteen. and PROV vding
approval and ratified by an over
~helmirg vote.
River Forest IL q suburban town.
with population Of about 5000. nine
miies out from the business district
OF Chicago. Practically all OF Its men
are engaged In pursuits Of one kind
80 another In the city. They are
away all day. SO that while they have
che best interests OF the village at
heart. THAR activities are necessarily
confined TO the evenings. or to infor-
NAL discussions OF village topics as
they &C back and forth on the train.
River Forest Ia like two or three score
OF other towns In the Chicago terri
tory occupied chiefly BY commuters.
and governed by what might almost
be called an absentee government.
For this class Of towns I believe
management by a general superintend-
ent ie peculiarly well adapted. as II
keeps one responsible man on the
oh at all times. clothed with sufh-
cient authority to decide most matters
on hand without the delay OF refer
ring them TO board meetings. and paid
n salary not only to be on the Job.
but to keep himself postsd as to the
best Developments In municipal ad-
mintstration. II the system In to be
applied only to such towns be-
lieve II is worth while. for there are
large numbers OF them In the resi-
dence districts surrounding all our
important cities; but I feel confident
that II can also be made to fit into
the scheme OF control OF larger NUM-
cipalities with excellent results.
Municipal officers. especially In the
larger towns. are nominated and elect
ed very largely by political prefer
ment. rather than with any thought
OF their special fitness for municipal
duties primarily In view. They may
be. and In perhaps most cases are.
good business men. but they are not
specialists along this particular line:
they may be iikenod TO the board OF
directors OF a business enterprise. who
look after It's affairs in general
way. but who depend upon general
manager to produce results.
During the past few years there has
been a decided impetus In many parts