The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-13
Member of the Associated Press.
SATURDAY. MARCH IS, 1918.
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT.

Now that commission government
has spread to SO many cities, and is
being prescribed as cure for the mu-
nicipal ills of the cities of the coun-
try which have not adopted it, is is
interesting to recall the origin of the
commission government movement in
this country. Some thirteen years ago
the city Of Galveston, Texas was hope
lesslv wrecked by a hurricane and a
tidal wave from the Gulf Of Mexico
Out of this dreadful calamity was
born the idea which has been of meal
eulable practical benefit to millions of
citizens throughout the Union and
will be of Unreasonable benefit to mil
| lions more within the next few years.
| the commission government idea
was adopted by Galveston almost in
/ desperation; yet, has SO completely
proved its worth that it has spread
more rapidly than any other munich
pal government reform ever proposed
and is rapidly revolutionizing methods
of state government as well as NUM-
cipal mana cement SO far as reports
are available, they show commission
! government in nearly 800 cities and
towns with q population of approx
mately 100000 in thirty-three states.
Galveston's disaster showed its cit
liens the futility and waste of the old
system Of government, and compelled
the survivors TO cast about for q new
and more convenient method of admin
istration. The city was in debt; its
borrowing capacity was exhausted; and
it faced the problem of rebuilding
On the demand of the people, the Tex
as legislature granted a charter for Z
government by five commissioners, two
to be elected and three to be appoint
ed by the governor The municipal,
affairs of Galveston were put on q
sound basis with almost incredible "a
piditv by these commissioners. Tho
city was financed and rebuilt. and {
protective sea wall was constructed
engineering world. The success OF
the change in municipal methods was
such that the commission plan was
made permanent, and crippled Calves
ton became the pioneer American city
in substituting honesty and effiei
ency for political misrule and graft
Out of calamity grew a fairer Calves
ton than had been dreamed of
-Four years later Des Moines. Iowa
adopted the Galveston idea and i'm
proved upon it Since then De-
Moines municipal affairs are wholly il
the hands of five commissioners wht
are the only elective officers in tn,
city. They serve two years. Thes,
men, one of whom is called the mayo
and the other four councilmen. ap
point all other officers and employees
] and administer the various department
Of the city. Each of the five mail
+ city departments has commissions
). at its head. Partisanship does not az
! pear at all in elections Candidate
r are nominated at direct primaries. o
the ticket at elections are placed tn
two high primary candidates for may
or, each citizen voting for one, an
the eight high councilmanic cand
dates, each citizen voting for fou
Thus, only ten names are on the ba
lot, and the people can familiariz
= themselves with the qualifications c
z each man. Des Moines has the recall
1 Many other cities which have adopte
the commission plan have adopted ne
Their the referendum nor the recall. |
no city where the commission plan HI
been adopted has there been success
! ful movement for the return to the o.
system, or any public demand for
return. to the old system.