The news-herald. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1909-1911, March 11, 1909, Image 6
Galveston Form of Government Commission Flan Gives Very General Satisfaction. The problem of municipal govern Xient is H'rhaps the most important single question before the American cople today. Jt affects us in every phase of our daily life. 1 Through the health, water, fire, po lice, newer and other departments, every city government directly affects the health, life and property of every roan, woman and child residing within its limits. 1'ractical experience, extending over n jicriod of six and a half years, has conclusively proved thnt the Galveston plan of city government is a complete success. There is nothing at all remarkable ubout the Galveston plan, nor about the men that are directly its municipal government. The city commission is simply a board of directors, elected at large by the qualified voters of the en tire city every two years. This board is composed of five practical business men, each fully recognizing that econ omy and business methods, not politics, should be employed in transacting the business affairs of the city. The business that is being directed by these live men, as agents for the citizens of Galveston, can be briefly summarized as follows: Furnishing iwople with pure wholesome water, adequate sewerage, efficient police aiid lire protection, well lighted, clean and veil paved streets, drainage, sanitation, public hospital for the eick and a care ful management of the city finances. FOUR CITY DEPARTMENTS. The business of the city is divided in to four departments, each department Uing under the charge and direction of a commissioner. These four commis sioners and the mayor, collectively, con stitute what is termed the "Board of Commissioners of the city of Galves ton." The mayor is the president of the board, and the executive head of the city government. He has all of the rights, powers and duties conferred ujwn the office of mayor by the con stitution and laws of this state, has the right to vote upon all questions, but has no veto power. Majority rule al ways prevails. The commissioners at the first meet ing after election, or as soon thereafter as jHtssible, by a majority vote, desig nate from among their members one commissioner who shall be known as "Commissioner of Finance and Rev enue," and under whose direction is placed the officers of the assessor and i collector, the city treasurer and city j auditor. He is also charged with the duty of examining into and keeping in-! formed as to the finances of the city, and with the advice and assistance of i the other members of the beard, he ' prepares the annual budget of the city. ! Great care is exercised in preparing the ' city budget and it is never exceeded in ! expenditures. i j MEETINGS OK I10AKI). The city charter at six o'clock. These meetings are con ducted in a dignified, businesslike man ner, and are free from wrangling, dis putes and confusion. The commission ers sit around a directors' table, the mayor presiding. The city attorney and the heads of the various depart ments are required by the city charter to attend all meetings of the board. But little Rin'cch-making is indulged in. and the presence of idle spectators is an exception rather than the rule Business is transacted promptly, but without undue haste. All important matters are discussed and differences adjusted in conference. The city at torney has great influence with the commissioners, and his advice, is freely sought "Too many cooks spoil the broth" is an old saying, which can well be applied to a board of twelve or sixteen alder men. In Galveston it has been clearly proved that four commissioners and a mayor, or a president, can transact the business of sixteen aldermen and a mayor, and do it better, more exnedi tiously and with greater harmony. SIMPLICITY OK FEATI RK. The strongest feature of the com mission plan of city government is its perfect simplicity, its directness, and in limiting the number of those directly charged with the management of the city's affairs and in fixing or in the centralization of rcponsibility. Under this plan the mismanagement of a department is promptly laid at the door of the neglectful commissioner, not only by the general public but by the mayor-president and the other members of the board. The knowledge of personal responsibility and watch fulness causes each commissioner to take a personal interest and to feel a special pride in the proper management of his department, realizing as he must that the merit as well as the defects are easily recognized by his associates, as well as by the public generally. Pollard De fines Position When Congressman Pollard was shown the Washington dispatches pub lished in the State Journal under date of March 1st, commenting upon his voting for the adoption of the rule of the House creating a calendar Wednes day, he made the following comment: "It seems strange, but it so often oc curs, that the advocates of reform are so likely to fall into the habit of calling every man a traitor or dishonest who does not agree with all their views. I have attended every meeting, save one, of the so-called insurgents in both the 1st and 2nd sessions of the C0th con gress and have taken an active part in the discussions of contemplated changes in the rules of the House. There was at the beginning a wide difference of opinion among the insurgents as to just what changes should be made in the rules. There were almost as many opinions as there were members at tending these meetings. At one time I feared our differences were so great that we could not get together and that the movement would fail. We i finally agreed, however, that we would i submit the various plans to a vote. rOnllire.q Hint tlm ' iwrrnitinfv in nHiranto tViot tKn nMii.ktlfir " 1 VllitllVV II 11 (111 I Hill V IIIHI VI 1W IllUJWI.feJI bjard shall meet in regular session at of those participating in the conference least once every week. These meetings should determine just what changes take place every Thursday afternoon we would stand for. The result was fSold only in j&fWsV YM Moisture Proof vO W W z In i6 a 1 The National prestige of Uneeda Biscuit is baked in. The moment you take a biscuit from the package, as soon as you taste it, the reason becomes apparent why so many hun dred millions of packages of Uneeda Biscuit have been bought, by the American people. f" NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY ; ; - - -- si5ra I from the committees and to tret them I mv collonmiP u-om ..-.) cation as mav hn i. ! from the committees and to get them before the House for consideration even after they reach the calendar. Until this change was made in the rules the only way bills could be brought For Hot Fires Get Egenber- ger's Coal! Sure satisfaction every time you light a fire if on top of the kindling is ebony fuel from our yards. It's heat and light giving and slate-free when it leaves the mines, screened and cleaned again here and served to you full weight and with celerity of delivery. Order any way that suits you. Both telephones. J. V. ECEMBERCER we decided to fight for two rules only; First, the removal from the speaker of his power to appoint the standintr com mittees of the House; Second, that one day each week should be set aside When all bills Of the Hoil.Il nnrl TTninn calendars would iintomHtimllv mmn I bills, was by unanimous consent or bv before the House for consideration. I a 6uspension of the rules which required have no hesitancy in stating that from a two-thirds vote. Under the power of the beginning of these meetings I was recognition lodged in the Speaker he in doubt as to the good results that cou'(1 uni'er either procedure prevent would follow taking from the speaker any bi" vom cf"'ng before the House the lower to appoint the standing fven though the IWO members favored committees. I gave expression to this simply refusing to recognize a view both in and out of the conferences. membt,r to call up the bill. Under the There could have been no uncertainty new ru,e adopted providing for a cal in the mind of anyone as to where I cn(Jar Wednesday all bills on the House stood upon this question. I feared that and union calendars will be automat ie the appointment of standing commit-1 a"y thrown into the House where they tees would result in log-rolling between j must voted UP" w'th or without individual members on the one hand I the Sj)eakers consent. Under the p- and the larger states on the other and j eration f this rule the Speaker will be mat smaller states like Nebraska would receive little or no recognition. Knowing that in the Senate the stand- my colleagues were votinir "No" rand they had all voted when my name was called) it would have been much easier for me to have joined them. I knew I would be criticised but I muU .mi up for consideration,1 except privileged ! stultify my conscience and vote against a bill I knew to be right simply be cause it would be popular to do so. Extra Session Is Called -T ' - ? ? V t V Y Y Y V Y Y Y Furniture That Pleases Old Winter with his reign of ice tnd snow will soon be gone. Those chilly blasts will be a thing of the past Spring with its new demands will soon be here, and you will need some new furniture. Our line is re plete with up-to-date, designs and patterns, which r.re sure to please, and at prices, which are sure to appeal to the prudent buyer. See our display, we are piaJ to show the goods and quote you prices. ? Y ? ? ? ? ? ? Y A ing committees are all appointed by a ommittee and that there is just as much dissatisfaction as to their opera tion of the House rules, I was naturally doubtful whether the appointment of the standing committers in the House by a committee would work any better I than it has in the Senate. I am free j to admit, however, that the plan pre : sented by thejHouse insurgents would tbe an improvement over the Senate ; rul-'s. However, I gave up my opj oii i tion to t,his plan when I found that a majority was against me. I partici pated in the discussions in good faith and helped to perfect the rules. When the bill was submitted to the House 1 signed it along with the other 28 insur gents and would have voted for it had it come before the House. The other rule the insurgents agreed upon, providing for a calendar Tuesday, met with hearty approval. The rule submitted to the House for which I voted and for which I am criticised, provided not for a calendar Tuesday powerless to prevent the consideration of bills that have been reported by the committees of the House. When this! rule was brought in providing for sub-1 stantially the same thing that myself : ami the rest of the insurgents had i j agreed to, I did not think I could honor- j i ably vote against it simply because it j ! was reported by the committee on i rules and not by one of the insurgents. I The fact that it did not appeal to me 1 as an argument why the one should not be adopted. I have done nothing more nor less than to vole for one of the reforms demanded by the insur gents. The adoption of this rule will in my opinion interfere in no way with ' the adoption of the other rule later. I was elected to Congress as a re publican and did not propose to bolt my ' party and vote with the democrats to prevent the adoption of a rule I had , solemnly pledged myself to support ! which would liberate the House and j permit it to discharge the public busi ness in an orderly way. The Washington correspondent of the Journal charges me with being insin cere and attemptine to deceive the President William Howard Taft has called the congress of the United States into special session for the purpose, among other things, of revising the taritr. Following is a text of the call: "P.y the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation: "Whereas, Public interests renuire that the congress of the United States should be convened in extra session at 12 o'clock, noon, on the 1.1th day of March, l!MKt, to received such communi cation as may be made bv live; now. "Therefore, I, William Howard Taft, ; president of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim and de clare that an extraordinary occasion re quires the congress of the United , States to convene in extra session at i the capitol in the city of Washington on the fifteenth day of March, l!t(o at iiuun, ui wnicn all persons who shall, at that time, be entitled to act as members thereof are hereby re quired to take notice. "Given under my hand and the seal of the United States of America, the sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, nine hundred and nine, and of the indepedence of the Un ited States, the one hundredth and thirty-third. "WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT." "I!y the president. P. r. j Secretary of State." ' Send her a post card of your favorite float. At Nemetzfi Co.s JL "V Pianos for Particular People STREICHT & STREIGHT A. A Y Y Y Y Y Y ? but for a calendar Wednesday and em-' public. My action in this matter alone bodid the same nrincinlos thnt u-nm ! r-nfntau th t - V i agree ! by the House insurgents. In that if I have made n r.-mitntinn fnr j my opinion, us auopuon u carried out any one thing since I entered public j in good faith, and I have no reason to ! life it is for having the courage of my I think otherwise, will accomplish much i convictions. I am going out of con ( in the way of reform although it does ; gress. The so-called Cannon machine not go as far as I should like. My ex- is powerless to help me in anv wav. I l perience in the House has convinced can secure no possible benefit from my I me that the criticisms of the inaction action. Had 1 desired simply to do the ; of Corgress in matters of legislation popular thing I would have voted with j I domande.l by the people has not been the rest of the Nebraska delegation. due to the manner in which the com- Hud 1 do-ie so I would have received") j mitlees are appointed but to the in- no criticism and would not have been! j ability of members to get bills reported called upo.i to explain. When I found 1 t V Y ? Y ? ? ? Y t t X When you meet a person who is very particular in musical matters it is safe to con clude that that person owns one of our pianos. The undoubted preeminence of our Pianos accounts for their adoption by the best judges of music everywhere. The ac tion of our Pianos is up to the standard. Strike a note on one of our pianos a number of times and you will get a response for every note you strike. Nine out of ten pianos will simply result in a succession of blurred tones. We do expert tuning and repairing. Plalismoutli Music Company J. A. BECKER, MANAGER f Y ? Y t T T t Y ? ? ? ? Y Y t Y Y ? ? Y Y ? ? Y