Esta )l shed 1899
SKT POTATO INDUS- i
mm CATAWBA COUNTY!
Some Interesting Facts in Regard to
the Sweet Potato Crop Taken
From the Southern Field.
The current issue of The South
ern Field, a monthly publication
if the Southern Railway, con
lair.s several ph tozrai-hs of
farm and good road scenes near
Hickory, and speaks in glowing
te ,ms of t'ie sweet potato indus
try in Catawba County.
It says in part:
"In that great section of the
Southeast, traversed by the
Southern Railway, nr.e of the
biggest "money crops" is that
o/"sweet potatoes. In the nine
s'stPS. Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina. Georgia. Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky
and Tennessee, three-fourths of
the sweet potato crop in the
United States is annually grown.
11 fact, these states supply the
yam and practically all the sweets
used in the country.
' The average yield per acre j
during last year was about 100
lushelsper acre. This, of course,
is for the entire country. But in
the Southeastern states the yield
often is as much as 200 bushels
p->racre, while one man in North
Carolina cleared $2,000 on ten!
a*res, getting an unusually large j
yield as well as an unusually!
price because of his method of j
curing and packing his crop.
"In some sections of the
Southeast raisers' associations
have been formed for the pur
pose of marks ting the crops. A
notable example is that of the
Catawba County Sweet Potato
Growers' Association with head
quarters and offices located at
Hickorv, North Carolina. The
county annually produces about
200.000 bushels of sweet pota
toes. The association was or
ganized dur-ig the past year
and has a membership of about
75. Ar the meeting of the organ
ization it was explained by ex
perts that the Jersey variety
could be grown in Catawba coun
ty. but that the yield would not
be quite so large as that of the
yam variety. It is Drobable that
some farmers will plant Jerseys
in the future It is expected
that the new association wi'l
market about 175.000 bushels
during the year.
"It is the indention of this as
sociation to have the farmers
{jrade and pack their own crops.
Then che association will market
them >o the Le?t advantage and
after the cost of seiiing is sub
tracted return the profits to the
farmers.
"The average yield in Catawba
county is about 200 brshels to
the acre. Th is the highest
average in the ?Ute, although in
isolated cases the production
has been much larger. The
potatoes are marketed at various
times during the winter months,
the period extending from Feb
ruary to May. Lit tie of the crop
is sold before the cold weather
starts. That part of the crop
that is not marketable, the small
er tubers, is not sold but is fed
to stock and makes an unusually
nutritious food during cold |
months.
"Boston, Pittsburg and Cincin
nati are the best of the North
ern markets. The average price
received is about $2.25 per crate,
or about 75 cents per bushel.
The co-operative organization ex
pects that the cost of marketing
the crop under the new condi
tions will be about 10 cents per
crate.
"Mr. W. J. Shuford, a member
of this organization and one of
the leading men of the com
munity, thinks that the land in
and about Hickory will produce
nearly as many bushels of Jer
seys as it will cf o!"her varieties.
He thinks that a sweet potato
canning plant might also be
operated there with profit.
"Growers in this section esti
mate the cost of cultivation and
harvesting at about 20 cents per
bushel. The largest producer in
this section is Jay Wilfong, who
markets about 2.500 bushels per
year. On account cf the manner
in which he c-ires and markets
his product he gets the highest
price for his crop. On ns farm
last year he had 10 acres in yams
from which he cleared about
$2,000.
"Another large grower is J. L.
Ingold who marketed about
2,000 bushe's during the past
year. Mr. Ipgold's profits are
large because he does all the
work with the assistance of his
family. His methods might be
termed intensive. Mr. Ingold
last year planted about 10 acres.
On his farm he has a big curing
house which has a capacity of
about 3,000 bushels. In order to
reduce the cost of marketing h
crop. Mr. Ingold has in&talle
THE HICKORY DEMOCRAT
Malt* l llnirv
a small saw mill neir his house
cuti (he lumber from
which he makes the crates for
hi* crop. With his sons he i*
able to market the crop almost
witnout any hired labor.
"Other growers in this section
ar •, Noah Propst, who raise-*
abut 1,000 bushels; H. P. Lutz
h m bushels; Dutch Dairy Farm
1 000 bushe's; Enl«>e Yoder, Cope
and Colon Yoder.
Land on which 2rops;
can be produced are vjiutd atj
anywhere from $23 an acre to
an acre, the latter for high- i
Iy improved places ne ir town, j
Most of the land can be bought*,
however, at about $5:) per acre.
It requires little mathematical
ca'culation to show that it will
require but a short time to pay
for land that cost $5O an acre
when the land itself produce*
crops valued at probably $lOO a
year. Here sweet potatoes is a
crop which is always sure and
unaffected to any great extent
by droughts or any other
climatic variations. And it is a
fact that is verified by the bank
ers of Hickory and Newton that
those farmers who engage in
the cultiv ition of sweet potatoes
have muney in the bank and are
prosperous tillers of the soil in
the community."
Cutie's Clothes.
(Going the roundsof the Alaska Press.)
Little maid, you look so small,
Don't you wear no clothes at all?
Don't you wear no shimmy skirt?
Don't you wear no petti-skirt? j
Just your corset and your hose;
Are them all ycur underclothes?
Little girl, when on the street.
You appear to be all feet.
With your dress so very tight,
You are sure an awful sight.
Nothing on to keep you warm;
Crazy just to show your form.
Little girl, you won't live long,
Just because you dress all wrong.
Can'tyou wear more underclothes
Than your corset and your hose?
Pretty soon I do believe
You will dress like Mother Eve? j
Married.
At the home of Esq. J. P.
Sides lastlSaturday evening at 5
o'clock, Mr. Madison Cline to
Mi"s Bessie Isenhour. Esq. Sides
was the officiating magistrate.
We wish the vourg couple a long
and happy life. They are mak
ing their home in Hickory.
In Burke County at the home
of Esq. ri. A. Adam 3, the offici
ating magistrate, last Sunday,
Mr. Plato Young to Miss Fannie
Rhoney, both of Catawba county.
The ceremony was attended by a
number of friends and relatives.
Store Changes Hands.
Mr. J. A. Dinglehoef of States
ville, has bought the Knox 5 &
10 Cent Store and took charge ot
the business Wednesday. Mr.
Dinglehoef is an experienced
business man and the business
will no doubt continue to grow
and flourish under his manage
ment. His wife is now in Greens
boro for medical treatment ana
as soon as she is able will come
to Lenoir with their child and
they will make this place their
home. —Lenoir News.
Postmaster Indicted.
Spencer, Nov. 21.—Postmaster
Stonewall Smith at Porters, Stan
ly county, has been charged with
rifling the mails and was on
Thursday placed under a bond of
ssoo for his appearance in Fed
eral Court. The arrest was made
by Inspectors Lemen and Hodgin
who have been working on the
case. It is stated marked mail
matter sent for the Durpose of
trapping the postmaster were
found on his person.
Boy Accidentally Killed.
Salisbury. Nov, 21.—8y the
accidental discharge of a shotgun
in the hands of Will McKinney
a 13 year old white boy, a negro
boy of the same age was killed
at Jerusalem. Davie county,
Thursday. The kiliiner cccnred
in the home of Mr. George Hen
drix and was witnessed by Mrs
Wood, who lived there. The par
ents ot the McKinnev boy are
visiting in West Virginia and
were notified of the accident.
Nervous and Sick Headache
Torpid liver, constipated bowels and
disordered stomach are the cause of
these headaches Take Dr King's
New Life Pills, you will be surprised
how quickly you will get relief. Thev
stimulate the different organs to do
their work properly. No better reg
ulator for the bowels. Take 25c. and
invest in a box to-day. At all druggists
or by mail.
H. E. Bucklen & Co. Philadelphia
and St. Louis. adv.
HICKORY, N. C., THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 27. 1913
A SURE FROIIBIT9ON '
WAITED IN THE STATE
Superintendent Davis Sfiys Next
Fight Will be For This Purpose Be
fore Legislature.
Daily News: 22nd,
That the next fight by the
prohibition forces of North Caro
lina will be to prevent absolutely
the shipment of liquor into the
state, was a statement made last
night by Superintendent R. L.
Davis, of the Anti-Saloon league,
who had just returned from at
tending the national convention
at Columbns, Ohio. The pur
pose of Superintendent Davis,
and his efforts, will be to this
end from ' the present time till
the convening of the next legis
lature when the fight for abso
lute prohibition will be waged.
He is optimistic of the out
come, and believes that with a
thorough orggnization of the
prohibition forces of the state,
and a careful moulding of public
opinion the fig 'it before the leg
islature will oe decisive. Five
counties of North Carolina al
ready prohibit the shipment of
whisky into th *m, and one town
shin.
Superintend* nt Davis declared
there was a great display of
enthusiasm in the national con
vention, and that plans were set
under vvav for securing national
prohibition, A resolution was
passed to this end, and on j
December 10t!i a meeting of j
1,000 men appointed by the con
vention will be held at Washing-1
ton. Twenty-f.ve representa-1
tives from No~th Carolina will
be present. Kespects will be
paid to Presi lent Wilson and
Secretary Bryan, and a banquet'
will be held to which the repre
sentatives and senators who vot-!
Ed for the Wetb bill will be in- 1
vited.
Is Pleased With The Commission. '
High Point, Nov. 20.—1n an
interview today. Mr. Fred N.
Tate, President of the Just
Freight Rate Association of
North Carolina, stated that he
was highly elited over the ap
pointments mude by Governor
Craig, of the members of the
Special Commission to sit on the
Justice intrastate Freight Rate
Bill, and that in his opinion, bet
ter selections for membership on
the Commission could not have
been made. Mr. Tate's state
ment folows:
"With regard to the appoint
ment made by Governor Craig of
the Special Commission to pass
on the Justice rate bill. 1 desire
to say in just a few words, that
in my humble opinion, if the j
Governor had taken a whole
year instead o2 but a few days,
in which to make his selections
for membership on this most im
portant commission, he could not
have found t iree men better
equipped for the duties to be
performed, than the gentlemen
appointed. They are all highly
qualified and adequately endowed
to perform the arduous task
which confronts them by dealing
intelligently aid honestly with
this great problem. I think
these gentlemen are to be com
mended and that they are en
titled to the thanks of the people
for their willingness to serve the
State in this capacity,
Caldwell Live Stock Show.
Much interest is now being
centered in the live stock show
for Caldwell county, to be held in
Lenoir on Wednesday December
17. Chairman Ned Jones, of the
committee, is arousing interest
in every section of the county
and it is expected now that the
show will surpass the expecta
tion even of th« most sanguine.
The schools of (he county will be
asked to give a holiday, in order
that the teachers and pupils
may attend tne show. A big
picnic dinner w 11 be spread, and
to the townshi.j taking off the
largest numbe * of prizes a ban
ner will be giv ;n, and it will be
known as the banner township
of the county,
A Consumptive Cough
A cough that mothers you continu
ally is one oi the langer signals whic*
warns of consumption. Dr. King s
New Discovery atop the cough, loosen
the chest, banish fever and let you
sleep peacefully. The first dose checks
the symptoms and gives prompt re
lief. Mrs. A. ?. Mertz, of Glen
Eilyn, lowa, writes: "Dr. King's New
Discovery cured a stubborn cough
after six weeks' doctoring failed to
; help." Try it, as it will do the same
for you. Best medicine for coughs,
colds, throat and lung troubles. Money
back if it fails. Price 50c. & $l.OO.
All druggists, by mail. H. E. Buckley
& Co. Philadelphia or st, Louis, adv.
Honor Roll in the Hickory Schools
For November.
NORTH SCHOOL.
I First Grade —Mordecai Barker,
Donald Cilley, Lee Duncan, Roy
Duncan, Albert Riser, Clyde
Mcßee, Bruce Menzies, Locke
Russell, Clement Seagie, Connelly
Sechrest, Francis Thompson,
Elizabeth Abernethv, Louise
Boyd, Virginia Burns, Mary
Dellinger, Louise Holder. Irene
Huggins, Doris Keever, Louise
Knox, Leah Miller, Frances
Seaboch, Nancy Sherrill, Mar
garet Sigmon, Maurene Starnes,
Mary Polk Wootten, Aileen
Whitener.
Second Grade—Kearney Pearce,
Charlie Lohr, George Mcßee,
Joe Wells. Claude Deal, Robert,
Menzies, Wesley Starnes, Charl s
Geitner, Richard Foard Lonnie
Foard, Inez Little, Mary Louise
Cline, Helen Mitchell, Hilda
Locke, Katherine Setzer, Eliza
beth WDlff, Nita Mostetler.
Third Giade—lsla Morton,
Ellen Stuart Menzies, Nina Frye.
Mabel Miller, Kate McGalliard,
Elizabeth Harris, Katherine
Cline, Julia Mitchell, Roy Sub
lett, Harold Boatright, Robert
Boatright, Arlege Boyd, Robert
Sigmon, Lester Leonard, Vir
ginia Clarke.
Fourth Grade—Thurston Kiser,
Robert Shuford, Manly White
ner, Frank Sigmon, Frankie
Burns, Eva Knox, Etta Mcßee.
Fifth Grade—Hazel Crouch,
Annie Ford, Glenn Russell,
SteadmSn Council!, Mary Blount
Martin, Edgar Thompson, Har
vey Huggins, Grace Ramseur,
Colon Clarke, Lois Fry, Dorothy
Ivey, Kathleen Keever, Char
lotte Garth.
Sixth Grade—Virginia White,
Edward Clement, Clay Camp
bell, Donald Hutton, Jacob Geit
ner, Mary McGalliard, Pamelia
Starnes.
Seventh Grade—Aileen Aiken,
Ina Huffman, Alex Menzies,
Jesse Patrick.
Ninth Grade—Jesse Rhodes.
SOUTH SCHOOL.
First Grade—Wright Williams,
James Kerr, Ernest Thompson,
Paul Miller, Myrtle Mosteller,
Willie Etta Click, Nellie Harris,
Mary Miller, Constance Chester,
Margaret Hefner, Maggie Mae
Sox, Ada Mae Groves, Elizabeth
Hall.
Second Grade —Nancy Hall,
Marguerite Pollard, Albert
Odom, Blanche Harris, Grace
Sigmon, Essie Pope.
Third Grade —Adelaide Ches
ter, Ruth Setzer, Blanche Dietz,
Fourth Grade—Mary Louise
Hill. Sherman Groves. De Witt
Messick.
Fifth Grade—Blanche Burns.
Katherine Fritz, Ruth Campbell
Sixth Grade—Daphne Ruth,
Gladys Hefner.
Seventh Grade—Mary Doll,
Mildred Bowles, Norma Steven
son, Ethel Messick. Era Prop st,
Jack Davis, Gordon Messick.
Action ot Virginia Cities Ties Mat
ter Up.
Raleigh, Nov. 20.—Interven
tion by Virginia cities to prevent
the application of the new re
duced interstate freight rates nc
cepted by the recent special SM
sion of the legislature was the
special subject; of a conference
today between Governor Craig
and Chairman Travis of the cor
poration commission. The advices
from Washington are this action
by Virginia cities will-tie up the
new rates several months, where
as the expectation has been that
only a week or two would be re
quired to secure approval of the
commission so the new rates
could go into effect by January.
The governor and the corpora
tion commission propose to press
the case as much as possible and
seem confident the interstate
commission will finally grant the
permission desired for the long
and short haul clause to be viola
ted in application of the new re
duced rates.
Ex-Cashier Hicks is Given Two
Years.
In Rowan Superior court Judge
Long imposed a sentence of two
years on A. W. Hicks, who was
found guilty of false entries
while cashier of the Spencer
branch of the Wachovia Bank
and Trust company, An appeal
was taken and the bond was fix
ed at $5,000, which was given.
A Gentle and Effective Laxa
tive.
A mild, gentle and effective laxative
is what people demand when suffering
from constipation. Thousands swear
by Dr. King's New Life Pills. Hugh
Tallman, of San Antonio, Tex,, writes:
"They are, beyond question, the best
pills my wife and I have ever taken.'*
They never cause pain. Price 25c.
at druggists, or by mail, H. E Buck
leu & Co. Philadelphia or St. Louis.
VIUIA TIES WLL
FIGHT AQAINST NEW RATE
_____
Would Give North Carolina Mer
chants Better Rates to the West-
Hurts Virginia Jobbers' Business.
Washington, Nov. 23.- The
"larger Virginia cities.'' fully
alive to the fact that with the in
auguration of the new proposed
freight rates to North Carolina
towns from the west millions of
dollars of annual business wiil
slip away from Virginia jobbers,
and be handled directly through
western merchants, propose to
fight the new rates and postpone
their effective date as long as
possible. «
Their objection is based main
ly on the coutention that the new
rates destroy the whole present
relationship of rates to southeas
tern states, and if North Caro
lina is granted lower rotes, Vir
ginia should also be favored.
"VIRGINIA CITIES."
The "larger Virginia cities,*'
as they are known to the inter
state commerce commission for
purposes of rate building, are the
cities of Richmond, Roanoke,
Lynchburg, Petersburg and Nor
folk. Through their attorneys
in Washington they watched with
interest the negotiations between
the railroads, the North Carolina
corporation commission, and the
special session of the legislature
which reached the agreement re-1
garding a new set of rates, and
then notified the commerce com-'
mission that whenever the pro
posed new rates were filed with
the commission they wished to
have a hearing. Following the
filing of the new rates by the
railroads and Commissioner Tra
vis last Friday, the attorneys for
the Virginia cities notified the
commission that they proposed
to object to the new rates and
wished to be given a hearing be
fore the rates were approved by
the commission.
The commission has also been
advised by shippers in states ad
joining North Carolina who do a
large annual business with mer
in North Carolina, because they
can obtain more advantageous
rates from the west that the Tar
Heels, that they also intend to
oppose the new rates.
The attorneys for the Virginia
cities followed up their protest
today by filing with the commi
sion what is known as "a petition
to be allowed to intervene." This
petition contains 135 typewritten
sheets and goes into the whole
rate situation. It claims that to
allow the new rates would
change the whole relationship of
tariffs to the southeast, affecting
Virginia. North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky
and Georgia.
It urges that if the commission
intends to grant the new rates to
North Carolina it should withhold
action until similar reductions are
allowed to Virginia cities. It
will take the commission some
time to go into this question and
even if the plea of the Virginia
cities is finally denied it must en
tail considerable delay in -*the
granting of approval to the rail
roads to put the North Carolina
rates in effect.
Andrew Joyner is Giyen Fine
Position.
Washington, Nov. 21.—Andrew
Joyner, sr„ the veteran news
paper man of Greensboro, has
been offered a position paying
$3,000 a year with the Panama
exposition at San Francisco. The
place was offered to Mr. Joyner
by his old friend, Thomas J.
Pence.
CAN YOU DOUBT IT?
When the Proof Can Be So
Easily Investigated.
When so many grateful citizens of
Hickory testify to benefit derived from
Doan's Kidney Pills, can you doubt
the evidence? The proof is not far
away—it is almost at your door. Read
what a resident of Hickory says about
Doan's Kidney Pills. Can you de
mand more convincing testimony?
H. C. Sigmon, 820 Ninth Ave.,
Hickory. N. C., says: "I procured
Doan's Kidney Pills at Moser & Lutz's
j Drug Store and used them for lame
back and weak kidneys from which I
had suffered. I got more relief than
from any other preparation I had ever
tried."
FOUR YEARS LATER.
When Mr. Sigmon was interviewed
on March 6, 1912, he added: "All I
said several years ago, recommending
Doan's Kidney Pills, still holds good.
They are reliable kidnev remedy."
For sale by all dealers. Price 50
cents. Foster-Milbum Co., Buffalo,
New York, sole agents for the United
States.
Remember the name —Doan's and
take no.other.
Democrat and Press, Consolidated i 905
Granite Falls Items.
(Cor. of The Democrat.)
Granite Falls, Nov. 24. —Ti.
?ood roads campaign will c!os
next Saturday evening with ;
rally in our city, A number of
aood speakers will hi? on hand t=i
dispense some interesting dat ; i
relative to the movement. .Wit' 1
between four and five hundred
voters registered, it is freely
predicted that the bond issue
will carry.
The Ladies Aid Society gave
an oyster supper last Saturday
night for the benefit of some
parsonage indebtedness. Quite fi
nice sum was realized, besides
having a good time.
Mr. C. A. Teague, who has
been working at Azalea, was
taken sick last week and came
home to rest up a few days.
Dave White died suddenly
last Thursdav morning. A neigh
bor went to his home to get some
bacon and while Mr. White was
coming from the smokehouse
with the bacon, he remarked to
the neighbor that he felt blind
and queer. Immediately he fell
and expired in a few minutes.
Rev. Mr. Carver of the M. l£.
Churches of Granite Falls and
Hudson is attending conference
at Charlotte this week.
Messrs. Warlick & Sherrill are
building an addition to their
shop which will give them more
room. They will install another
large glue press.
Swindler Jailed in Greensboro.
Greensboro Daily New, 22nd.
Capt, C. M. Bowers, native
Englishman and formerly of
Statesville, was brought to this
city Wednesday morning and
lodged in the county jail to await
trial on the charge of using the
United States mails for fraudu
lent purposes. Bowers was
brought to this city from New
Orleans, La., where he was ar
rested, by United States Deputy
Marshal E. M. Kinler.
It is alleged that Bowers,
through a fake English estate
scheme, swindled E. C. and Parks
Deaton, of Statesville, and other
Iredell people out of $B,OOO, and
thereby committing the offense
against the postal laws. There
had been a tradition in the Dea
ton family that one of their an
cestors, a wealthy Englishman,
had left a large amount of estate
in England, which rightfully be
longed to the heirs now living in
this country. Bovvers, it is said,
knew of this tradition and, being
an Englishman, made plans to
commit the deed with which he
is charged. Bowers claimed to
know of the estate above men
tioned and therefore the Deaton
family fell an easy prey to his
fake scheme. J
Bowers England and
left the impression that he was
sueing for this estate and that he
was using high-priced lawyers.
His scheme began about four
years ago. When he made his
last trip to England, about a year
ago, he sent cable messages to
the Deaton family concerning the
suit, and finally sent a message
that the suit had been successful.
All during this time he had made
calls for money, which was sent
him, and which amounted in all
to about $B,OOO. j
After his message stating th; t
the case was successful Bowers
became very quiet about the mat
ter, and at this time the Deaths I
became suspicious, and finally
Parks Deaton made a trip to
England to investigate the mat
ter. Deaton on this trip is said |
to have secured a large amour,
of evidence against Bowers, and
upon his return he reported the j
matter to the government post i\
authorities, who found a bill of
indictment for fraudulent use?
of the mail in a recent term of
federal court held in Statesville,
It is also thought that Bowers
was traced from England to Can
ada and from Canada to the wes
tern part of the United States,
and that he was finally located
and arrested in New Or leans.
Beware of Ointments for Ca
tarrh That Contain Mercury
as mercury will surely destroy the
sense of smell and completely derange
the whole system when entering it
through the mucous surfaces. Such
articles should never be used except
on prescriptions from reputable phy
sicians, as tire damage they will do is
ten fold to the good you can possibly
derive from them. Hall's Catarrh
Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney
& Co., Toledo, Ohio., contains no mer
cury and is taken internally, acting
directly upon the blood and mucous
surfaces of the system. In buying
Hall's Catarrh Cure be sure you get
the genuine. It is taken internally
and made in Toledo, C., by F. J. Che
ney & Co. Testimonials free.
Sold by druggists, Price 75c per
bottle.
Take Hail's Family Pills for consti
pation.
Cures Old Sores, Oitiw Remedies Won't cure
The worst cases, no matter of how long standing,
are cured by the wonderful, old reliable Dr.
Porter's Antiseptic Healing Oil. It relieves
Fain and Hwl* at the same tunc. 26c, 60c, J LOO,
CITY UUMta PLAN IS
ENDORSED BV NATIONAL
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
Commission Government at Present
Rules More Than 7,000,000 People
In 300 Cities and Towns—Advan
tages of City Manager Plan £Point
ed Out by Committee.
Toronto, Canada.—The "City Man
ager Plan" of the municipal govern
ment was explained and heartily en
dorsed at the nineteenth annual meet
ing of the National Municipal League
[by the special committee appointed
j two and a half years ago at the Rich
mond meeting to study the problem of
the commission government and its
developments.
Commission government at present
rules more than 7,0u0,000 persons in
300 cities and towns. The supporters
of the plan are divided as to whether
commissioners should be elected for
specific posts, as in Lynn, Mass.,or on
a general ticket with power to divide
the departments among themselves af
ter election, as in Galveston and Des
1 Moines. The majority of the commit
tee, however, reported that neither so
lution was as sound as that offered by
the plan of electing a commission
purely representative and legislative in
function, permitting the members to
give only part time to municipal work
and receive only nominal salaries or
none and leave the chief executive
work to a city manager hired by the
commission from anywhere in the
country and holding office at its plea
sure. The manager appoints and
controls the remaining city employes,
subject to adequate civil service pro
visions.
The first city manager plan was em
bodied in a charter prepared for the ci
ty of Lockport, N. Y., in 1911. The
proposition, however, failed to get the
approval of the State legislature. The
plan was first adopted by the legisla
ture of South Carolina for the city of
Sumter, and went into effect there on
the first of the present year. Since
then it has been adopted by Hickory
and Morganton, N. C.; Dayton and
Springfield, Ohio; Lagrande, Ore.;
Fhoenix, Ariz., and Morris, Minn.
The advantages of the plan were
pointed out by the committee in ita
report, as follows:
"It creates a single-handed adminis
trative establishment instead of the
five separate administrative establish
ments seen in the Des Moines plan.
This administrative unity makes for
harmony between municipal depart
ments since all are subject to a com
mon head.
"The city manager plan permits ex
pertness in administration at the point
where it is the most valuable, namely,
at the head.
"It permits the chief executive to
migrate from city to city, inasmuch as
the city manager is not to be necessar
ily a resident of the city at the time of
appointment, and thus an experienced
man can be summoned at advanced
salary from a similar post in another
city.
"While giving a single-headed ad
mil istration, it abolishes the one-man
power seen in the old mayor-and-coun
cil plan. The manager has no inde ■
pendence and the city need not suffer
from his personal whims or prejudices
since he is subject to instant correction
or even discharge by the commission.
Likewise, in the commission, each
member's individual whims or preju
dices are safelv submerged and averag
ed in the combined judgment of the
whole commission, since no member
exerts any authority in the municipal
government save as one voting mem
ber of the commission.
"It abandons all attempts to choose
administrators by popular election.This
ss desirable because —
"It leaves the line of responsibility
unmistakably clear, avoiding the con
fusion in the Des Moines plan between
the responsibility of the individual
commissioners and that of the commis
sion as a whole.
''lt provides basis for better discip
line and harmony, inasmuch as the city
manager cannot safely be at odds with
the commission, as can the Des
Moines commissioners in their capaci
ty as department heads, or the mayor
with the council in the mayor and
council plan.
"It is better for large cities than the
Des Moines plan.
"In very small cities, by providing
the services of one well-paid manager
instead of five or three paid commis
sioners, it makes possiblj economy in
salaries and overhead expenses.
"It creates positions (membership
iin the commission) which should be
attractive to first class citizens, since
the service offers opportunities for high
usefulness, without interuption of their
private careers."
The committee ?n commission gov
ernment making this consists of Rich
ard S. Childs, secretary National Short
Ballot Association, chairman; Professor
Charles A. Beard, Columbia university;
Professor William Bennett Munro,
Harvard university; Clinton Rogers
Woodruff, Philadelphia; Dr. Ernest S.
Bradford, Washington, D. C., author
of' 'Commission Government in Araet*
ican Cities.*'