Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-01
THE CITY MANAGER PLAN.

I<ulIOIt
Sir-The city of an undeveloped
public opinion. That city is Honolulu.
! II all thinking people of Honolulu
I could but listen 10 wrangle after
yrangle in our city administrative
board. with no show OF advance along
lines that make for betterment OF city
conditions. il is a foregone conclusion
that they would think II high time for
q decided radical move. Other cities
of the mainland, similarly situated,
have kicked over the traces" and
made the plunge. The commission
, form of government has been adopted
| by over four hundred American cities
| and they are making successful ad
ministrateon OF what previously seem.
ed a chaotic muddle. The commission
form has been Improved upon by
the ommission-manager plan, which
creates an administration under a sim
gle head office. which feature alone
makes for harmony all along the line.
Former United States Civil Service
Commissioners Foulke. an authority Oh
present day city government plans,
has the following to say regarding the
merits OF city manager and commits.
sion form OF government for cities:
1t Is evident that the preference of
one system over the other is largely
question OF adaptabilitv. of the particu
lar form to the habits. the prejudices
and political conditions of the city to
which it is applied. II the manager
system were to be applied at once to
cities where notions of political in.
trigue nave been deeply ingrained into
the habits of the community and can
not be eradicated. the consequences
are likely to be injurious.
But where the city has outgrown
this low form of political life, where
the community has come to regard city
administration as being, in the main,
business administration, either the
commission or manager plan is an ad.
vance step toward good government"
It. is up to Honolulu to commune
with itself, as it were, and ascertain
which of the two above quoted para.
graphs is applicable to her condition.
To anybody who devotes moments
thought to city government outside of
general condemnation of the super
visors and their alleged shortcomings,
there appear many favorable features
In the new forms OF city government
that have been adopted by large
number of American cities. Some Of
these features are the short ballot,
that makes for an intelligent vote,
eliminates the politician and his ma.
chine, two of the greatest reforms of
modern elections.
The initiative, referendum and re-.
call, conditions thft emust be- accepted
With the popular firm of'cfty govern.
ment, have a tendency to make those
elected to positions OF pubic trust
more responsive To public opinion.
At the present time The city OF San
Diego, Cal, is the Mecca for all eyes
of cities that contemplate a change in
the form of city government. The
city manager of this thriving Southern
California city has plan to central
ize, SO FAR as possible, the executive
functions of the municipal govern.
mont. He figures that by so doing he
can make an annual saving of over
100000. He makes no secret of de-
auctions arrived at He states that he
finds, as can be found In many cities
of the United States, much duplication
CT work, the unharmonizing condition
Of the overlapping of authority, much
unnecessary and wasteful help"
many of the offices clerk-ridden and
other feat lres that make for q mill
stone about a city's neck.
He goes further with his inyestigar
tions, even unto the most sacred Of
city institutions the payroll. This,
he states, can be greatly reduced with
out impairing In the least the eff
cheney Of the city's administration, and
makes the bold assertion that 1t will
strengthen 1t rather than otherwise.
The outcome of that city managers
plans will be watched with much in.
terest, for while municipal economy
has it hackers and well wishers, 1t also
has an army of enemies that will fight
it to the last trench.
ECONOMY.