Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-26
TWO MAYORS GIVE
THEIR IDEAS ON
MODEL CHARTERS
No. 5 in Star Bulletin Series
Brings Letters From North
Carolina and Massachusetts,
COMMISSION FORM IS.
FAVORED IN EACH CASE
Not So Sure About City Man.
ager-Lay Emphasis on Me-
cessity for Electing Honest,
Conscientious Men to Office

CeSSity 10r ElectIng H0neSt,
Conscientious Men to Office
The star-BuIIetin publishes below
No. S in the series Of letters from
mainland mayors and other city off,
Gals upon model city charters. This
letters are the result Of a country
wide inquiry directed by the star-sul-
Ietin, 20 secure the experiences o.
mainland cities as suggestions for the
charter revision convention which
meets next month TO revise Hono!uI "a
chatter:
The letters previously published
have been:
No. |. From Mayor Albee OF Port
; land, Oregon.
No. 2. From Mayor Fessett OF Spo-
J kane. Wash.
No 3. From Mayor Fawcett of Ia.
coma, Wash.
No 4. From Mayor James r. Han
ma of Des Moines, Iowa.
No. in the series is composed o.
the letters Of Mayor o. B. Eaton of
Winston-Salem. N. c., and Mayor
George II. Newhall Of Lynn, Mass
Both favor the commission plan Of gov.
ernment, though Mayor Newhall does
not favor the city manager plan. Their
letters follow:
Office of Mayor.
winston Salem, N. c., 3
August 5. 1915"
Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Dear Sir: Your letter received. in
reference to municipal fern OF gov.
crnment
aThis city ms fi,e alderinsnic sys.
tenn. / give MY entire time 10 city
affairs and have the general SUPER
vision OF all departments The CITY
Manager plan would work well with
the right man, just as II does in
large business establishment, but few
OF the cities in this country are will
ing to clothe one man With as much
power, and when at Is submitted to
popular vote, be would be defeated
every time. think the ideal form o.
city government is the commission
plan. divided up as follows:
~Commissioner Audit and Finance
Commissioner Public Works.
Commissioners Public. Safety.
with the right kind-of men giving
their entire time in response to the
wishes of the people. is the most eco
ncmical and most satisfactory form %
city government. However. all goes
back to the men. At least no plan
will be successful without competent
and experienced men The city gov
ernment comes in the closest and
most intimate relations with the fam
lily every day. II requires. therefore,
honest, courageous and level headed
men to handle II properly. but with
the plan suggested and the riyht kind
of men secured will give the greatest
amount Of efficiency at the least pos,
sible cost.
Yours tru'y.
20. 3. EeTON.
Mayor"
from a Massachusetts Mayor.
City OF Lynn, Massachusetts.
July 81. 1915.
Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Dear Sir: Yonr letter received. In !
reply will say that believe in the
Initiative and referendum and recall
hut should not want the percentage |
cf voters TO have the above too easv
] should want good percentage in
favor.
The citv manager plan ] do not be- |
lieve In. While II might work in some
communities, I do not think 1t would |
in others
Il believe in the commission form |
Of government and I have had eNner-sI
fence in both kinds or governments.
In the commission form of govern
Thent you can do better work. more OF |
IL. and in a shorter time than you
ran under the old form. You must
have, however. honest, conscientious
and capable men in any city govern
ment and If there is no way of gettine /
incompetent men ont of office it Is
time to change your charter. no mat
ter what il might be. find that CON.
mission form of government is more
efficient in, the work OF running the
city. While ii may cost more money t
vet you are getting more work out |
of the money appropriated for ono
reason, IL for no other, and that is
that you can formulate system for /
cannot be dcne under the old form. /
your work for years to come thai /
where the members are changing from /
year to year am sending you J
copy of our charter.
Trusting that this will help you, J
remain.
GEO. H. NEwHALLs
Mayor"