Evening journal., 1920-12-07

GOVERNMENT
SAVES MONEY
fContlnued From First Pace !

A1oAliuAfd Iipnl fllot IdscJ
small number Of elected officials nom
partisan elections, abolition OF ward
Hines, economy OF administration,
greater efficiency, application Of busl-
ness, referendum, initiative and recall,
slmplhlcation Of the system and wide
publicity"
As N results. Mayor Donnelly said /:
when Trenton adopted commission
government IL had a floating indebt-
odness OF Ssi7,0 and a dencit Of SOL
900. The floating Indebtedness has
been wlpef out and there is a cash
surplus OF $4,000 this year. BY IT,
ssting on the levy Of tax sufficient
to meet appropriations. the city
brought about an honest tax rate"
How system Operates.
Mr. Donnelly began his address by
reviewing the important character
istics OF the commission government
as adopted In Trenton in the summer
OF 1911, under the provisions OF what
commonly is known as the Walsh act.
/. These. be said, are
II. The placing OF the municipal
governing authority In a small body
Of men
g. Their election at larse. Instead
| Of by wards.
"3 The power 10 exercise admin
/ the privilege OF appointment by the
Board.
a. The placing OF each commits
sioner In charge OF a definite depart.
ment and making him responsible 10
4 the people for its proper and lntelli-
gell managem Mt.
"5 The power given 10 the people
to secure honest and efficient govern
ment through. the medium. Of the ini-
tlative and referendum and the recall
The intrinsic value OF GOmmlssion
Government really rests on these car
dinal principles.
-Ona OF the essential characteristics
OF commission government" the
mayor continued, rs the placing Of q
commissioner In absolute control OF
a distinct department Thus the con-
missionc's are both collectively and
/ lndlN idually responsible for the
honest and efficient conduct OF their
duties. Under the New Jersey statute
the executive, administrative and leg
islative authority In cities electing
hVe commissioners Is divided into flvc
separate departments, as follows;
department Of Public AffaES, De-
parlment Of Revenue and Finance, De
pariment OF Public Safety, Depart
ment OF Streets and Public Improve
mentS, Department OF Parks and Pub
lie Property
Unity and Recall.
"a commissioner. on being assigned
to any one Of these departments" said
Mayor Donnelly, III as absolute contrO
and is also individually responsible n
his fellow commissioners and the peo-
pie generally for the actions OF him
self and his subOrdlnates The mayor
who Is director OF pnhlic affairs, it
advisory director to ,ach Of the Other
commissioners. The commission meets
Immediately after election for IN,
purpose OF organization. At that time
the assignments 10 the different de
partments are made.
Although the commissioners are ir
charge OF separate departments, the,
work In conjunction with one another
"a spirit OF unity pcrmgates IN
/ meetings Of the commission. This 4
one OF The principal reasons for IN
success Of commission government
The small body that Is responsible 70
the governmental advancement OF IN
! municipality outlines constructiv
policy TO be pursued by its subordi
mates.
: This is surely an Improvement owe
the old system. under which the man
agement OF every department, no mat
ter how small or unimportant Il Nigh
be, was placed in The hands or a ma
who was termed head OF that depart
ment. This condition led to a oonfu
sion OF authority and had a detri
mental effect upon the efficiency o
The department itself The concentra
tion'of power and authority secure,
through the enforcement Of commits
sion government places such mino
departments directly under one head
aTr4nA ant Ian a n
their management.
All things considered, however
there Is one particularly inSeparabl
feature OF commission rule that en-
genders governmental efficiency, an,
that Is the recall An Official, really
lag that his every act and recommen
dation dRldes his countenance In OF
] lice, viii, by forced II not natural In
clinaton, strive for public approba
: hon. This. he we'll knows. can hes
s bs secured by efficient adminsLra
! Under the old system orr govern
I ment u Is possible for an elective OF
: tcer 10 forget that he Is SIMPLY
!, public servant and use his offic.al in
= luence towards securing favorihsr
Tor some private or corporate inter
q est because, having been elected 10
l. a. - 'ei.i Auiiint, VI years ne pldt
= tically beyond the danger Of remov.
\ until the expiration Of his term OF oi
u flce
Under commission government
however, the remedy Is very simpi
= and easily applied. Upon adeduai
proof OF nenloiency or dishonesty
an Official The dissatisfied voters ca
: resort TO The recall, and II the M
e iority so rules the delinquent is lel
q lslated out OF Office, notvithstaniin
e that he has siin several wears Of h
l. or z nal term TO serve.
B. NNfrnfcfna1 oovarnp,aDt .....t-