Evening star., 1916-01-13
Promised Lights
Never Materialized

Promised Lights American city
- VIII h has
Never Materialized. sinca .don,ed
commission government. Just before
election the city council passed an order
for double row of lights on every block
in town that contained more than six
houses. Each of the aldermen made
speeches to his constituents telling them
how their streets would shine like the
great white way, thereby greatly an
creasing his popularity. Most of these
aldermen were duly reelected on the
strength of the promised lights. But there
aren't any such lights in that city to this
day.
This made the citizens angry and they
rose up and elected a new crop Of alder
men. These statesmen fought shy Of the
street lamp question, but promised the
citizens enough paving for a town of
twice the size. Once more the citizens
harkened to the promises. reelected the
aldermen-and continued to walk in the
mud. The city hall gang thought it would
have to find something else to talk about,
sary at all. The people had had enough
talk. They rose up a single man and
voted for commission government
| The principal reason why commission
/
fixes responsibility. The members of a
city council can promise anything as in
dividuals and then blame their colleagues
I if the results fail to materialize. Under
the commission plan each commissioner
is held responsible for a certain part Of
the city works. If the commission votes
for street paving, and the streets are not
paved, then one commissioner is to blame
and is pretty sure to lose his job The
streets, however, will proba bly, be payed
hlJfDanlv he
of all his fellow-citiZens upon him. almost
any man will do his best
The need to get city administration out
Of party politics is another one that
modern commission government fills 1t
las become increasingly apparent for
some years that party organizations in
cities merely suSordinated city admins
tratlons to state or national party inter-
ests. while the actual business of running
the city has nothing to do with politics
x
In order to prevent the state political
boss from running the town. most of
the cities with
Run for Office commission gov
1J, ernment have pro-
/ nations Men run as individuals. their
names are printed alphabetically and
party emblems are excluded
Commission government brings a
feeling of relief to the average citizen
I because he does not have to vote for so
many men, most of whom he never
saw. Under the old system there are
usually about thirty officials to be
| elected, varying all the way from the
city clerk to the mayor. The busy
voter becomes acquainted with most
of these by seeing their pictures on
circulars, together with an injunction
to vote for Mr.. So-and- so, who believes
in government for the people, or is a
cripple and needs the money Under
commission government there are
usually only five men
The stock argument against commits
sion gosernment is that it puts too
much power in the hands of a few men.
! This objection has been largely over
come, as notably in Des Moines, by the
recall, initiative and referendum The
recall means that If a certain number
OF citizens sign petition the COM
missioner must stand special election
and other candidates may enter the
| field against him. If he receives a
| plurality he holds his job; if not, he
| loses it, BY the initiative and referen-
dunn the citizens may initiate laws
\ oI COulDtI tic tOtDEllSSlOH 10 reIer Ia W y
| to popular vote.
| The 400 commission government cities
are scattered all over the United
| States. Kansas leads with 35; Illinois
| has 80 and Pennsylvania 90 Maine
| has ! and Massachusetts :, but there
are no others in New England Forty
| of the forty-eight states contain COM
mission government cities.
| OF all of these Galveston has had the
| most unusual experience. Before the
| flood. its municipal government was
| about as bad as possible. The town was
| bankrupt, its script was at IL discount.
| the city council spent all its time
| squabbling and good citizens were re-
| fusing in disgust to pay their taxes.
| Then the storm hit it. destroying it's
| city hall, its fire department, its water
works and the lives and homes of
| many of its people. Out Of necessity a
| commission was appointed to take
| charge of this ruin. In the emergency,
| jealousy. hatred and selfishness were
| forgotten. The people not only rebuilt
| their homes. but also constructed a sea
| wall, raised the land the city stood on
to the level of.its top and built cause
| way from their island to the shore.
Through their commission they spent
| millions. and every dollar of 1t was
| well spent while every municipal serv-
| ice was put upon new basis of ef-
] ficiency. At Galveston fine commu-