The Penn's Grove record., 1921-04-08
Commission Rule
Or Old Borough
Lively Debate AT WOman's Club
On Local Government
Methods

When the Woman's Club made out
their yearly program last summr a
debate was arranged for the meeting
that a Commission Form of Govern
ment would be a good thing for Penns
Grove.
The debate took place last Tuesday
afternoon in the Library room and was
instructive and amusing. Mrs. A. U.
WEIGH and Mrs. Ralph P. Willis took
the affirmative and Mrs. Samuel M.
Hunt and Mrs. Lemuel Layton spoke
for the present form of government,
which is under Borough laws.
Rev. Ralph S. Carlisle, former
Mayor George H. Elkinton and Walter
Edgar, Borough Recorder, were the
judges. Mrs. John M. Summerill,
president of the Club, presided.
For Commission Government
Mrs. WEIGH opened the debate by
explaining what Commission Govern
ment is and telling where it has been
successful. She said in part:
First of all you know that commits
sion government had its origin in Gal
weston after the flood. At that time
the city was practically bankrupt, had
a large floating debt; the city hall and
fire houses were in ruins n the pave
ments all in bad shape. In just eight
years time the commissioners had not
only carried on the government but
had paid off extraordinary expenses
amounting to $685. 600. Besides this,
new sewers had been installed and
other needed improvements made.
What is Commission Government?
1t is the government OF towns or cities
ruled by a commission of three, five,
or even seven men, who take the
place of the old council. This Is no
table in the administration of great
business corporations. 1t puts the re-
sponsibility for government In the
hands of a few men who are directly
elected by all the people of the mum
cipality, and can be held directly re-
/ sponsible to the voters.
Under the old system of election by
wards, ETC., the thickly populated
wards, which usually contained the
least intelligent portion of the popu-
lation could override the wishes of the
well-know public spirited, intelligent
m; .%-e class who, as is well known, are
the ones who take the greatest inter
est in public problems. The rich do
not as a general rule take interest IN
these questions, as long as their dlVl-
dends and receipts are not threatened.
The speaker then told of the
statement of the Mayor of Des
Moines, Iowa. He said, after one
wear there was a surplus instead OF a
deficit. Service more economical and
more efficient. Streets kept clean;
paving laid according to contract; con-
tracts let to the lowest bidder; police
no longer in politics; fire department
no longer a part of the political ma
chine. There was more than enough
in small wastes to pay the salaries of
tho commissioners.
There are 2O3 cities in the United
States under the Commission form OF
government. Forty towns IN New
jersey find this the best mode OF gov
eminent.
No one who has made any impair
tial attempt to follow the Galveston
commission during the last six years
| will venture to gainsay its very strik-
ing success. The financial condition
of the city has been most decidedly
improved; all the municipal services
have been brought to a much higher
point of efficiency; a better grade OF
citizens has been willing to seek and
accept civic office; and the general
tone of municipal administration has
been very n~oticeably raised. The COM
missioners present, in their reports,
such a convincing array of facts n a
it would be idle to question the sue
cess of the new regime. The success
has been attributable in general to
three or four canons of policy, from
which the commissioners have not
swerved during the last five years,
and which may be summed up as (1)
the use of approved business methods
in civic financing; (2) the entire ellml-
nation of all leakage in expenditures;
(3) the making of all appointments
on the basis of individual efficiency;
and ca the strict accountability OF
each commissioner for the on-golngs
of his own department.
Allow me to relate an instance you
will all understand and that just seem
ed to happen to illustrate my point.
Monday night there was supposed to be
a board meeting of nine members IN
town but the majority of the members
could not or did not attend. There not
NOblN W.
being a quorum, the members VINO
did attend adjourned, after waiting till
after ten o'clock. Of course the abb
sentees may have had urgent business
of their own to keep them away, but
that does not alter the matter. Right
there was a loss of the time of the at
tending members, electricity used for
nothing, as well as a loss of interest
that is liable to follow in educational
matters most important.
The law of New Jersey under
which commission government is held
was enacted in 1911. 1t provides for
a salary of $3.50 for each of 3 mem
bers or s1O5O. 1t provides for initia-
tive referendum and recall. The ini-
tiative refers to failure to pass any
ordinance or enforce any law a petl-
ton signed by Is per cent. of the
voters It the last election a demand
the passing or the enforcement.
II rac,iraS Or ner cent. of voters on