trol of a reviewing body. In
Europe, the city councils are elected by the people, and the
administrative departments are made up through a process of
selection and appointment, together with the assurance of reasonable
permanence of tenure, responsibility, and adequate support. Likewise
in America, the larger cities are already organizing their cabinets
upon a somewhat similar basis. The six largest cities of New York,
all of the cities of Indiana, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, and many
others are securing their important administrative officials through
appointment by the mayor. This is the general plan advocated by the
National Municipal League. It centers responsibility for the
administration in one man. On the other hand, some of the cities of
Canada follow more closely to the German system. There the cabinet
is selected by a representative council. In practically all of these
instances, men of special ability have been obtained, the
departments of administration have been properly correlated,
responsibility has been concentrated, and the general principle,
that successful administration depends upon a separately constituted
legislative body, has been firmly established.

It is plain then that a commission form violates the fundamental
principles of successful administration. It first attempts to secure
a cabinet by popular vote. It then upsets the stability of the city
departments by completely uniting both the legislative and the
administrative functions. Finally, it destroys the responsibility of
that prime essential of successful administration, namely, a proper
reviewing body.

In the second place, Honorable Judges, the permanent adoption of a
commission form must necessarily mean a sacrifice of legislation and
the ultimate destruction of local self-government. Even though the
city may be subordinate to the state, nevertheless, it has a broad
field of independent action. Otherwise, why give it a separate
personality and a separate organization? Cities are permitted to
exercise vast powers of police and of taxation. It is idle to say
that a few commissioners can give satisfactory legislation. They
cannot represent community interests. Their executive functions will
naturally bias their judgment. Moreover, each commissioner, knowing
little of the needs of the other departm