The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-07
PRINGSuIkES
CITY MANAGER
Hamp Williams Says Plan
Works Wen-Trainmen
Oppose Any Change

The newspapers Of Memphis have
printed q number of letters from per-
sons, some officials Of cities where the
city manage plan OF government Is In
effect in which letters the pan m
in for criticism. \ majority Of these
letters were written at the request OF
the present city officials OF Memphis,
Commissioner Miller writing TO many
Of these cities for information.
But while certain officials are glad
to condemn the system when called on
n given an opportunity, a few letters
are beginning 10 come in To McmphianS
from persons who favor the city mana
ger plan praising that form OF gov
m and diSCredlttng the informa-
ton given by those who have been Sc
leCted to knock the plan. Here is a
Letter written to one OF tho opponents
of the city manager plan in Memphis,
by Hamp Williams, one OF the commits
| sioners OF Hot Springs, Ark. former
state senator and later L., 5, food al
miniStratoF for the state,
The letter is an answer to the one
written by he mayor of Hot Springs;
with the exception Of a very few,
there is no one here opposed to the
city manager plan. The great advan-
tage that this plan has over the Old
aldermanic form of government Is that
il conserveS time, affords q Concen-
trated effort, a fixed responsibility and
a removal Of city affairs for all times
from politics.
Direct Responsibility,
The board Of commissioners bears
the same relationship to the people that
a board of directors does to a bank;
they are the legislative body and are
charged with the responsibility of EN-
plOying a city manager, whose duty 1t
is to superintend the city the same as
though it was a large business con-
Germ. He must give a strict account
of his stewardship to the commission
erS, No excuse unless entirely legitl-,
mate, will be accepted from him, The
city manager is the n man who Is
held absolutely responsible for the con-
duct of all departments, and he can
not under any circumstances shirt the
responsibility to other shoulders.
1T is within his jurisdiction TO create
new departments, or to discontinue any
existing ones,
When a citizen has q complaint to
make it must be answered by the city
manager in 4 decisive manner-yes or
no-and quick action can be had. Under
the old rule these matters were usually
referred to committees and one-half of
them were lost in the maze OF red
tape. Ii is beyond the range OF possi-
bility that anything of this kind can
occur under the manager form of gov
eminent.
IF the commissioners do not per-
form their duties, they, in turn, can
be recalled: hence everybody is held
in rigid, Vice-like, methodical manner
to a strict accountability to the citizen
ship for all their actions.
individually, | think this is an ideal
form of government. | believe that one
mistake made in our charter was to
pay the commissioners any salary what
ever. The salary paid now is $500 per
year and that is just enough to have
some one offer, perhaps, for the posi-
| finn gimnlV for the nnnnunt nf mpnpN
involved. If there We're no salaries at
all paid the commissioners, then only
the very best type Of citizenship would
be willing to sacrifice their time for
the love Of civic pride, thus removing
any tlnge Of politics whatsoever, as a
man who would offer for the salary
alone. would not be willing to serve
through patriotic motives, With this
one feature eliminated | really believe
1t would, indeed, be a difficult matter
to improve on this form of government
for cities that are honestly trying to
develop their resources to their full
limitations"
L. D. Cooper, prominent wholesale
grocer of Hot Springs, writes as fol-
lows:
I'VE now have a commission form OF
government, which Is composed OF 3
mayor, four commissioners and a cts
manager. The city manager practically
does all the work. I consider this a
DIG Improvement over Inc ola form oil
government when we had a mayor and
IL aldermen. The change is from a
political to a business one and in my
opinion a big improvement in every
, respect"
| The writer says that George r. Beld
ing. city manager, Is an earnest advo-
cate of the plan In Hot Springs and
= will freely n gladly explain the work
: ings of the government to any one
who wishes the information.
4 Made in Germany"
; But. following the lead of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers, the
q brotherhood of Railway Trainmen has
y taken a punch at the city manager form
: Of government per SO in a resolution
adopted Feb, 6, Incidentally The train
men, who say they number SAG strong,
J take r. fling at T.. II. Crump.
A Their resolution follows:
g "Chickasaw Lodge No. 347, Brother.
: hood of Railway Trainmen, SAG mem
= bers, hereby goes on record as protest
ing against the attemnt Of a dozen bis
business men and Il. Fl. Crump to abol.
ish the present city charter and sub
stitute for 1t the (made in Germany
u city manager form of government
= These business men represent nothing
- except their own ambition and the am.
u bition Of a former political III
h There exists at this time no demand
3 for a change in our present charter
except in the minds and ambitions Of
n these gentlemen. We are much sur.
prised that American citizens should
assume an attitude which would riva
the Prussian Junkers in their best DAYS
We ask that the gentlemen who are
I proposing this u~ndemocratic and kaiser
government give their names to tho
public, in order that the public MAY
). know who the men arc who are die
Eating q form Of government for Mem
r nhis with their public De damned at
= titude.'
s eve are unaiterably opposed to any