The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-12
For the Good of
 The Community

TAIES WEATHERLY, one of Birminghams c leading attorneys and former member of the city commission makes the following sugges- tions as part of constructive programme for the upbuiding of Birmingham:
 The adoption of an amendment to the state con- sttution giving
 First Rights of the citizens of Birmingham to home rule in purely local matters, and to that end establish their own charter.
 Second. County and city of Birmingham under one government, the area to be determined by charter, approved unpopular referendum.
 Third. Such charter to provide not to exceed one mill tax for ordinary purposes and up to one- half of one mill additional for extraordinary pur- poses, special referendum vote, all to be reg ulated strictly by budget as prescribed by law
 Fourth. Local home rule by one government for the area selected Government to be on the general manager plan on lines of Dayton, O.
 City Commissioner Henry Page Burrlss for some time past has advocated separate county to include only the boundary limits of Birning- ham. Economy of administration and use of taxes collected in Birmingham in the administration of Birmingham affairs form the basis for his sugges- tion. He says greater income is absolutely es- sentlal to the proper maintenance of all depart ments and institutions of the city. He makes three alternative suggestions for bringing about relief:
 First. Create separate county for Birming- ham of from 100 to 150 square miles of territory.
 Second The consolidation of the city and county governments with one set of officials for the whole county, including Birmingham.
 Third. Increase the tax rate to at least double the present schedule.
 The above suggestions, coming from two citi- zens who possess intimate knowledge of city ad- ministrative affairs, are worthy of consideration. It is not the purpose of the author of these articles to advise the people of Birmingham as to the method or manner of their government. That is political question for determination by the peo- pie.
 He will state, by way of parenthesis, however, that his opinion, based on personal observation in number of cities having the commission form of government, is that unless partlzan politics can be eliminated, the old one or two-board sys- tenn is more economical and much to be preferred to commission government.
 The Dayton, O., plan, referred to by MT. Weatherly, was accepted immediately following the flood there in 1913 when more than half the city was inundated and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed. The city treasury was bankrupt the streets and canal banks washed away and the people were confronted with most  tions of the city meant the expenditure of many millions of dollars, engineering skill was required and business management essential t) the recon structon programme.
 John H. Patterson, president of the National Cash Register company, and number of other progressive citizens took matters in their own hands, piloted non-partizan ticket to success in an early election, and the commission of three or five men engaged MT. Waite civil engineer an old Birmingham man, by the way-who was then commissioner of public affairs of Cincinnati, at a salary of $15000 year and gave him free reins to do what he deemed best to rebuild the city and rehabilitate her finances. He was given control of every. department of the city-the po- lice and fire departments, the streets and all in stitutions.
 Under the charter he was absolute "boss;' no politician could interfere no business man or set of men dictate He had no axes to grind, no friends to place in office, enemies to punish.
 He made success of the job.
 In several other cities where the commission form of government was in effect officials were elected on non-partizan tickets, but it rarely oc- cured that the major party in either of these cities
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