The Citizens' Bulletin (Galveston, Texas), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 8, 1907 Page: 2 of 4
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THE CITIZENS' BULLETIN.
CITY COMMISSION ELECTION.
(Editorial from the Galveston News of April
28, 1907.)
On Tuesday, May 14, the voters of Gal-
veston will be given' an opportunity to ex-
press their preference for the men who will
direct the affairs of the city for the next two
years. For the past six years the four Com-
missioners-I. H. Kempner, Commissioner Fi-
nance and Revenue; V. E. Austin, Commis-
sioner of Streets and Public Improvements;
H. C. Lange, Commissioner of Water Works
and 'Sewerage, and A. P. Norman, Police and
Fire Commissioner-have been directing the
affairs of the city. During that time the
city has lost its first Mayor-President under
the Commission rule, but in his place has
been elected a man whose honesty and abil-
ity are unquestioned. The record of the five
men who are now in charge of the city's af-
fairs is written in the present condition of
the city-financially, morally and physically.
A beautiful city has risen out of the debris
of the storm of 1900. It is a greater city
than it was before that disaster. It has more
and better paved streets, it possesses a bet-
ter sewerage system, its floating indebtedness
has been wiped out. Policy and gambling
have gradually been wiped out, and the saloons
are better regulated than ever before. The
administrations have been characterized by hon-
esty and in the best interests of the people.
The affairs of the city have been conducted
conservatively, but progressively. In effecting
reforms the effort has been to serve the many.
In a word, the administrations have been
upright and for the best interests of Galveston.
Should such a set of men be set aside at
this time? The News thinks not. It is not
time to experiment with other men. The
people know by the results that have been
attained just for what the present Commis-
sion stands. They know that these men can
be trusted to serve the best interests of the
city. But there is a stronger reason. Until
the grade raising has been completed and
the financial question has been settled, it is
dangerous to experiment with another set of
men. The present 'board is familiar with
the conditions as they exist, and is therefore
in a better position to administer judiciously
the affairs of the city. The News thinks it
would be dangerous to experiment at this
time. It is idle to say that there are not as
good men to be found in the city as those
who are now in charge, of affairs. But The
News does not think they are in the race.
There is another very potent reason why
the present board should be retained. The
eyes of the world are on Galveston. The
Galveston plan of municipal government is be-
ing studied by a score of cities throughout the
United States. The question is being asked
if the Galveston plan is not the solution of
the problem that is confronting nearly 'every
American city today-the elimination of graft.
Should Galveston allow her standard to fall
at this time it would be a serious blow to
municipal reform throughout the entire coun-
try. The citizens of Galveston owe it to
the United States, therefore, not to drift back
into the old order of things.
The men who compose the present board
are all men of business. They have not
sought the office, and perhaps it would be
to their own best interests if they were free
of the cares of the city. They are, there-
fore, in the attitude of making sacrifices for
the city, and The News believes the city issafer in such hands than in those of the office-
seeker.
The News believes that every citizen who
has the best interests of himself and his city
at heart will support the present administra-
tion at the coming election. But a note of
warning should be sounded against indiffer-
ence on the part of the loyal citizens of the
city. The opposition is active. It hs not
come out boldly, but it is working, and there
is a class who will follow.
The News unqualifiedly indorses Mayor Lan-
des and Commissioners Kempner, Austin,
Lange and Norman, and commends them to
the voters of Galveston as the men who will
best serve the interests of the city.
A SPLENDID RECORD.
The Houston Chronicle of February 16,
1907, says:
Civic government is always attended with
more or less rumors of inefficiency upon the
part of those holding the different offices, and
there are always many who are ready to
point out wherein the officials are not as they
should be, and the absolute lack of anything
of this nature makes the present system of
administration all the more noticeable to
those who are familiar with Galveston and
Galveston government. The governing of the
city by commission comes as near to being a
government by the people as any form which
has yet been devised, and the great success
wllich has attended the system in this city has
been most remarkable.
The present system of government is dis-I
tinctly of Galvestonian origin. Its success
has been the cause of much favorable dis-
cussion among cities in every section of the
country. The absence of graft when almost
every other city of similar size was hav-
ing an investigation along these lines during
the past year has made it the more wonder-
ful. The remarkable progress in the rebuild-
ing of the city, the rapid strides in every
line of commerce under its guidance, and the
absolute lack of anything questionable in any
department have been the means of placing
Galveston in the enviable' position she holds
among cities of similar size. Considering the
many classes of people who make up her cit-
izenship, the city is the cleanest from a moral
point of view that can be found. Records of
the police department show this to be a fact,
and the absence of crime is a testimonial to
the members of the force. Taken from every
standpoint, the present system of government
has been a pronounced success.
--..--
"Cities do not consist of mortar, brick and
stone, but of the character of their citizenship.
The government never neglects the people un-
aess the people first neglect the government.
No government, city, state or national, was
ever better than the people made it or worse
than they suffered it to become. Good citi-
zens may make good laws, but no law can
make good citizens. The patriotism of peace
is just as necessary as the patriotism of war.
Plenty of men will die for their country, but
the man who will live for his city every day
is the man good government needs. Good
government does not exist by accident."-
Joseph W. Folk.
Galveston, in short, is now beginning to
reap the . results of five years of clean, able
city government.GALVESTON'S GOVERNMENT.
That the commission government has been
a success in the city of Galveston is proved
beyond a doubt. My observation not only
as a city official, but also as a private tax-
payer, and a resident of nearly thirty-six
years, has been such that I consider this city
today one of the best governed cities on this
continent, and for the following causes and
reasons:
1. Total absence of undue political influ-
ence ini the selection of the members of the
Board of City Commissioners.
2. Perfect harmony between the different
classes of citizens who favored a clean and
capable administration.
3. The incontested business ability, ear-
nestness and harmony of the present board,
displayed in the discharge of the duties en-
trusted to it, the practice of economy, the
absence of waste, the collection of interest
on bank balances, close collection of taxes,
and the strict honesty in the management
of the finances of the city.
4. The adherence of said Commissioners
to the terms of every budget, thus avoiding
deficits by keeping expenditures within the
year's apportionment. A record unprecedent-
ed in years.
5. The prompt payment of all salaries,
wages, pay rolls, purchases, contracts, etc.,
appropriations covering same having been
asked for and adopted every Thursday even-
ing-equivalent to fifty-two pay days per year.
6. The prompt payment in cash for all pub-
lic improvements, payment of the large float-
ing debt inherited from the aldermanic admin-
istration, new constructions, the rehabilitation
of all storm damaged public property, and the
repaving of the entire business portion of the
city, without the issuance of bonds or of a
special levy of any kind against abutting prop-
erty.
7. The close attention paid to business and
the promptness displayed in the prosecution of
all civil matters submitted to the board for
adjustment, etc.
8. The exercise of the greatest care in the
handling of all contracts, insuring thereby
good work and good value in return for the
outlays made by the city; and lastly,
The faithful business-like performance of
the duties of every city official, ably assisted
by the City Commissioners, collectively and
singly.
These are the views of City Auditor A.
Ferrier, an expert accountant and business
man of wide experience.
""
A successful city administration encourages
the people. Within the last few years Gal-
veston has witnessed the most prosperous pe-
riod in its whole history.
It was Cicero who said that it frequently
happens that men are prone to condemn be-
cause they do not understand.
The Woman's Health Protective Associa-
tion, that noble band of patriotic mothers,
wives and daughters of Galveston, are doing
a grand work, and are entitled to the grati-
tude of the entire community.
Mayor Landes and each of the present Com-
missioners are entitled to an overwhelming vote
of confidence from the tax payers of Galveston,
and all those interested in the advancement and
welfare of the city.2
I
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The Citizens' Bulletin (Galveston, Texas), Vol. 1, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 8, 1907, newspaper, May 8, 1907; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth884777/m1/2/?q=%22~1~1%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rosenberg Library.