The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-30
GUnmentMayor and City Pn

Prepared by City Government Com
 mittee, Junior Chamber of Com
 merce, For Citizens Committee.
 The widespread adoption of the city manager form of government by American cities and its spread to New 0 aland Australia, and other coun l tries, Is not the result of a desire to experiment but the logical develop ment of the demand for simplifica- ton of organization. efficiency of ad- ministration and abolition of the spells system in city government which has manifested itself in nu- merous ways TOT a generation. It Is but the application of business prin- ciples to city government-discard I Ing the unsatisfactory features and retaining the desirable features of other forms.
 Birmingham had an aldermanic government until the beginning oi 1910. It was cumbersome and inefn- cient, unsatisfactory to a high de- gree from an administrative stand point. An ex-mayor said of it. "A strong centralized government will produce results the people want. Our present system has never done 1t and never will.".
 The death knell of the aldermanic system was sounded at a mass meet ing held in December, 1908, on the call of 150 leading citizens, attended by a tremendous audience, which adopted this resolution among others, by ac- clamation:
 We declare and deplore that the present form of aldermanic municipal government has proven a failure"
 An extract from the Age-Harold account of the meeting reveals the situation which brought about the meeting:
 Alderman -, referred to as the silent boss; Aldermen - and -, against whom charges to the effect that they were guilty foficial mis- l conduct have been sustained Alder man -, against whom some months ago charges of bribery were pre- ferred and which have never been sustained or disproved, and Alderman
 -. whom the council elected con trary to the wishes of the voters of the - ward. expressed in primary bore the brunt of the terrific and unchecked bombardment."
 The feeling against the aldermanic system shown by this mass meeting was not a sudden or emotional out DTSdk. It HdQ been growing TOT years, brought about by administration of public affairs Charges and coun- ter-charges of graft and corruption among city officials were frequent. Office -holders squabbled over their responsibilities and privileges while the public suffered. Earnest, capable, and upright men participating in the city government through desire to be of public service found their l laFF .~sf gA N-. what they could get out of it." Bad Birmingham" was known the country over.
 The commission form of govern ment has not been a success in Bir- mingham because: It Is not represen- tative; the combination of legislative and administrative functions in one body has proven unwise the commis- sioners as heads of departments have been too subject to political influ- ence; and the salary and duties of commissioners have failed to attract to office the high type of successful executives it was hoped to secure.
 When the first commission under the five commissioners bill went out of office, only one of its members was reelected; when the second com mission went out. not one of It's mem- bers was reelected: and under the
 
 or more of the electorate expresses itslf as dissatisfied when questioned.
 Twelve years of trial has shown the commission plan to be defective and the needs of the city demand a bet ter government. With experience here and elsewhere as guide, the city manager-council plan stands out as the solution of our problem. The tentative plan for Birmingham l ( ,va1r t@- kko IA,4 nf t1,o oft into 12 districts. Each district elects one councilman. The term of office is four years, with three councilmen elected each year. This eliminates the upheavals and chaos incident to complete change of administration under the old systems. Three-fourths of the council would always consist of holdoyers-men who had become familiar with the workings of the city. Councilmen would receive a nominal salary Of $50 per month.
 The Mayor
 The presiding officer of the council and the head of the city for cere- monial purposes. legal and military purposes. would be the mayor, elected every three years from the city at large. He would receive nominal salary of 1.2o0 per year.
 Duties of Council
 1 ne COunClk ndS oOAC iCS lSldllNO od thority. It determines the policy of the city in all matters, fixes the ex- penditures for various branches of the government, and exercises gem eral supervision over the various de- partments It has no administrative duties. The demand on the time of ! the members would not be great.
 Thus there is created in the city government position which will ap- peal to the very best citizens. offer ing opportunity for high public use fitness without interruption of pri- vate careers. Our aldermanic bodies inclded many high-grade men but many undesirables also. The proposed } council should prove much more at tractive to the former. because 1t would require less time and be free from the pressure to help friends get jobs or contracts or other selfish benefits from the city. The spells system was the backbone of ward } politics under the old aldermanic , form. Civil service provisions fos } employees, public letting of contracts by experienced executives. confirmed by the council in open meeting, and simplicity of the form of government centralizing authority and responsi- bility. have made city anager cities remarkably free from graft and cor ruption. There is little inducemeni : for professional politicians of the old type to attempt to control the council, because there is little for them to get out of 1t.
 The City Manager
 To execute the laws and carry out it's policies. the council selects as the administrative head of the city a manager. He has no legislative pow CTS and is subject to instruction, cor rection and dismissal by the council The council gives orders to him alone