The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-19
FAVOR
MANAGER PLAN
AS PRACTICAL

nv IlWUIU1L
hudson King Likes Memphis
Bill for Control 1t Gives
People Over Public Utilities.
Success in Grand Rapids.
That the city manager plan Of mu-
hlelpal government is proving a sue
cess IN those cities in which il has been
ihahgurated, In spite Of the strongest eff
lorts OF professional politicians and the
mouthpieces Of Misunderstanding cor
poratlons 70 defeat or discredit it, has
been the opinion Of all fair-minded men
VINO V Investigated the working out
Oh me new form Of government.
Wednesday Roy c. Moyston, who is
a college mate Of II. A. Toulmin. a
onted engineer, and author OF s'The
CITY Manager a book accepted as one
OF the leading authorities on forms of
city government, received a telegram
from Mr.. Toulmin In answer 10 a re-
quest for his unbiased opinion on the
Grafton. "
This is what Mr.. TouImin saws.
washington, d. c., March 10.
ROY G Moyston, attorney-at-law,
Memphis, Tenn.-Will be detained in ar
Eunent or case in supreme court of
United States and will be unable to
reach you by letter.
Let me say emphatically, the city
manager government is q brilliant sue
cess. i speak as a friend Of labor. a
Apaye ana as a corporation execu-
i've, IT Is a success despite the bitter
p0ltllcai opposition of all machines of
all n1Ffing and oil fbk{n 49, -
IT Is a success despite political eff
iorts IN states and counties to force
bankruptcy on city manage cities by
poitlcal organization in which the city
men have minority votes.
~ Is a success despite the inherited
uenLs OF former incompetent admins
trations by party organizations. and
war prices for materials and labor.
Pure Business Problem.
My experience in the war. here and
III france, handling thousands of men
ana millions Of dollars of materials, has
convinced me that only an organiza-
tlon with one man at the head, like
a city manager, can succeed when the
Prohlems OF q political organization are
business problems. A city's problems
are business problems.
me south gave this plan to the
world; | hope Memphis justifies our
confluence IN her Southern leadership
by taking her stand for efficient gov
eminent in the forefront of American
cities"
The proposed city anager bill. as
finally adopted by the committee Of 100.
mas been submitted to a number of men
I IAN i with the plan as advocated or
them to members Of the National Popu9
Iar Government league and to The Ma
tlonal Short Ballot organization, or this
iatter organization IL may be of interest
10 recall that it's president Is woodrow
mlLson' while United States Senator
nonert a. owen, of Oklahoma, is presi-
Dent Of the Popular Government league.
People Would Be Served.
Judson King, executive secretary of
Lne national Popular Government
league after examining a copy of the
proposed Memphis bill, writes:
NJ sincerely. trust the legislature of
tennessee will see fit to recognize the /
principle Of local self-government and
ADOPT 1t without change.
. particular Interest and value to
M, are the provisions rslatInu ID public
utilities, and their administration and
eminent. ~ CIV
Il find running through 1t the prin-
edpie that the people must be first
ward For years politics has been the
curse Of municipal administration. Was
money 70 be made out of anything, give
mat thlhg away was money to be
Sps syou let or the people pay the bin,
Tor the people to secure just as able
men to serve them and conduct their
business as can any private corporation, |
And when they have had about Il
months Of that Kind Of service. You
your charter with 20 tons o. dynamite
Beats Model Charter.
In writing regarding the proposed
charter amendments, Richard s. Childs,
beard Of the National Short Ballot or.
ganisation, says;
7 have just received a copy of the
proposed Memphis city manager char
ter, sent me by Dr.. Hatton, | find
nothing 70 criticize, but on the other
sound and workmanlike charter, SUI
p,erior in some details to the model
Memphis, by reason of Its size, will
stand az the mead of commission man
ager eltles' ana your charter will easily
the attention which it viii
receive from other cities, which from
time to time will contemplate the adop-
ton Of the plan
some comment has been made of con-
dltlons IN Grand Rapids, Mich, where
the commission-manager plan OF gov
eminent has been In effect for nearly
years. 1t has been stated that the
plan at first seemed, likely to prove a
allure and that the first city manager
was dismissed or resigned under
pressure. ~
This, 1t would appear, Ia in reality
argument In favor of the city man
plan, In a private CORPORATION. IL
me general manager fails to make good,
ne is discharged and makes room for "A
nan who can do the work required az
\ general executive. This ia what han.
in Grand Rapids.
Here is what the Hon. Christian "A
,ailmeyer, mayor Of that city, writes
he citizens committee;
IN my opinion the manager form of
government Is the government for any
'ity to adopt I feel that II il AWAY
mead OF 1he old forms. because 1t gives
he commissioners at all times a chance
o nlace responsibility.
our new form of government has
zen IN force just Is months and SO
ar It has given satisfaction in every
aspect, or course, all rests with the
'eters. II they will elect the right kind
men for commissioners then they
w nave the right kind Of government
our city affairs are all handled on
business basis no politics In the city
'atl aGnresent, SO far as | know, and
think | know what I'm talking about,
or nave had more or less to do with
tty affairs since 1885" ~
III