The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-02-09
One Man Government.

Ont at the prosperous city of Phoenix,
Arizona the people reached the conclusion
that Phoenix needed and would thrive with
CITY Manager" They had grown tired OF
the old aldermanic and mayoralty form OF
government. Whether they tried the COM
mission system we do not know. what they
wanted was City Manager, and that is what
they got, for the Arizona legislature gave
them the means to make the change; and
SO Phoenix installed a City Manager and,
it may be supposed, started new era IN
spirit of confidence and even great hopeful
ness of good results.
Just how long a time the new idea has
been tried at Phoenix we are not able to say,
but the word comes from there through
press dispatches that the Phoenix people
have found that a City Manager does not
prove able to give them all they hoped and
expected in the way of acceptable municipal
administration. The City Manager has been
arraigned, so to speak, and he has thirty
days in which to show cause why he should
not step down and out.
The episode is not without interest and
perhaps of instruction. This is an era, in
the United States at least, when the people
are impressed with the value of and prone
to venture on new departures in govern
mental matters This is notably true as to
municipal government. In several common
weaIths the sentiment has affected state gov
ernments, as illustrated in Oregon, Missouri,
Idaho, and some other Western states,
where startling innovations have been
brought about in state administration. But,
as said above, it is in city government that
the spirit of change, trying new methods,
has been most marked. The commission
idea (Which we have heard suggested for
Dawson but has gained no favor here) has
been most marked. The commission idea
came first supplanting the aldermanic sys-
tenn, and then the City Manager theory came
into view with pretentious claims, Sumpter,
South Carolina, being the pioneer in that
movement 1t has not developed as rapidly
as did the commission idea, but probably
half dozen cities have changed their methods
to the extent of putting a manager in charge
of municipal affairs-a "one-man" form OF
government.
What are the fruits of the system? We
cannot answer from personal knowledge or
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eral of the cities trying the plan complaints
have been heard as to it's value. Phoenix
is the latest instance of dissatisfaction.
1t is admonition to exercise caution and
even deliberation ere they cut loose from
time-tried and time-tested ideas and ideals.
Some of the old ways have much of virtue
and value, even if not perfect They have
given good results, even with admitted de-
fects. In this favored country of ours we
instituted representative government as
holding the surest promise of usefulness and
wholesome results. The representative idea
runs through, is firmly imbued, in our meth
DDS, not only in national, state and county
affairs but even in city or town government.
The alderman in the town or city has been
the counterpart of the legislator or the rep
resentative in congress. 1t may be doubted
if we will ever find any system that is wiser
or better than this old, time-honored repre-
sentative system. 1t is the system pest
known to our people, and in accord with our
traditions and ideals of government. we
ought to be slow in getting away from It,
We ought to reflect on the value of the good
the old ways have held for us, and II they
develop defects try to remedy them and steer
clear of new fads and ideas.