Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-04
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what he has done. through his subor
dinates
With fixed responsibility naturally
has come efficiency. Each link in the
chain susta!ns its own weight, anG
with the others. the weight of all
There can be no shifting of responsi.
b!lity. Each unto himself must be
sufficient.
Its strength lies in its being non.
partisan; make 1t partisan and its con.
troll OF governmental machinery would
be absolute. without rule or master
Again. the plan is strong. If the
city manager Is strong, so is II weak
| If the manager is weak. Therein lies
its next weakness all admit. There is
no cohesion as in politics-no disposi-
ton TO make good because the party
Will become stronger If the individual
makes good. There is no bolsterins
UP by the strong when the weak fall
ters or breaks; il is make or break
with the city manager as the Keystone
whose strength or weakness. honesty
or dishonesty causes the structure "a
a house OF cards.
OLD GOVERNMENT COLLAPSED
IN TIME OF EMERGENCY
Dayton. after March. 1913, was a
changed city. In that month and year
came the food. The beautiful valley
city was swept by the water as few
cities in America have been swept
When the waters and the currents sub
sided all was ruin and desolation-and
acres of thick, sticky mud
AT the crisis. the old form of govern
ment bent and broke. The Republican
Mayor harassed by a hostile Demo
cratic Council. was 7owerless. The
! Governor OF Ohio established MARTA
law and by one stroke virtually gave
Dayton the commission plan OF gov
eminent
In the reconstruction DAYS after the
| mood. the work was handled by COM
f; mittees or commissions Of public
spirited citizens. Flood relief was ex-
peditiously gotten under way and ac-
/. complished: levecs were restored. nub
lie works brought back to state OF
! usefulness and great project for the
future considered and undertaken.
Almost in the time IL customarily
! TOOK for one reading OF an ordinance
'hese commissions had finished the
work the ordinance would have con-
templated. There was smoothness,
ieNioillty and accuracy of operation by
commission. never before possible nv
political body. The people learned tina
municipal government. in the hands of
| business men. was not such an involved
and difficult proceeding after all
PATTERSON DIRECTING
GENIUS BEHIND PLAN
Here then was created the thought
that became the business manager pla
of commission government One not ed
Dayton manufacturer, John H. Pat
| terson. of the National Cash Register
Company. was the directing genius be-
I hind these rapid improvements The
people saw that with one leader. un-
hampered by cXpediencas or oblisa
tons. more could be accomplished tina
with A dozen. working. like as not. at
cross purposes.
Out OF tho nood then came the city
manager plan. For almost two years
: II has endured. and friends say It will
continue to blaze a new path for the
cities on the American continent in the
years to come. The sentiment is not
universal, hut the city commission and
the city manager are going ahead, con =
fident. they say. that they Will be sus-
, tanned and upheld by tho majority
when need develops.
Typical expressions from supporters