The manager type of government has given satisfaction to the majority of people in Dayton, but minority groups, such as Socialists, complain that they have no representation because all five commissioners are elected at large.

On January 1, 1924, Cleveland, the fifth largest city in the United States, inaugurated a manager type of government similar to that of Dayton, with two important changes:

(1) Instead of a commission of five elected from the city at large for a term of four years, Cleveland elects a council of twenty-five members for two years from four districts, which elect from five to nine members each according to the population of the district.

(2) Instead of a non-partizan primary and election, Cleveland has its candidates nominated by petition and elected according to the proportional representation plan. (See Sec. 242.)

More than two hundred cities and towns have adopted the manager type of government by charter amendments in addition to the hundred whose councils have added a manager to their old type of government.

The advantages of the manager plan are: (1) The burdensome duties are performed by the manager, therefore a prominent business man can afford to serve as commissioner because he can continue with his regular business. (2) The manager may be chosen from within or without the city. (3) The manager may be chosen without political considerations. A manager recently said that he did not know the politics of any of his subordinates. (4) Powers and responsibility are centred in one man. "If anything goes wrong you know whom to hang. Either the manager or three of the five commissioners are to blame. Commissioners give the manager great latitude. (5) It makes city governing a profession instead of political "graft." For instance, the manager of Staunton received $2500 a year, but was successful and became manager of Springfield, Ohio, on a salary of $6000, and then of Norfolk, Virginia, at $12,000, and now of Stockton, California, at $20,000.

A city government has only

221. Home Rule for Cities. such powers as the State grants it. These powers are usually enumerated in a charter which contains the name of the city, a description of its boundaries, the form of its organization, and an enumeration of its powers. Until recent years it was the practice in most States for the legislature to grant a separate charter for each city. This procedure occupied much of the time of the legislatures and resulted in a favoritism to certain cities. In time, however, many State legislatures grouped their cities into classes and enacted general uniform laws for the government of all cities of a class.

City inhabitants felt that they should have more control over their own government, and recently "home rule" provisions have been placed in the constitutions of a number of States. These provisions allow the people of a city, under certain restrictions,1 to frame their own charter. Of course these charters must not contain provisions inconsistent with the State laws.

Of the States permitting cities to draft their own "home rule" charter none is more liberal than Ohio.2 The Ohio Con

1 The restriction may be a four-sevenths majority of the city voters, the approval of the governor, or the approval of the legislature.

2 The following States have constitutional municipal home rule:

stitutional Convention of 1912 gave cities the power either to frame their own charters or to adopt by local referendum any general or special charter laws which the State legislature might pass. The legislature promptly prepared three model charters; one of the council-mayor type, one of the commission type, and one of the manager type. However, most of the larger cities of Ohio prepared their own charters and are now enjoying self-made or home rule" charters.

222. City Problems. - City Portals. Every city should have a union station for the convenience of the traveling public.

THE UNION STATION, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mail is delivered directly from the cars to the City Post Office, which can be seen to the left of the station.

One of the most attractive and convenient union stations is that at Washington, D. C. About $25,000,000 was expended for the site, approaches, and building. Of this amount the United States Government and the District of Columbia government contributed about $5,500,000.

1

Under the leadership of the Van Sweringen brothers 1 a union station is being built in the center of Cleveland which will probably represent a cost of $60,000,000. More than 150 structures were pulled down over an area of about 31 acres. The station proper will be below the surface because the trains enter under ground. Above the station will be a sky-scraper office building. Street Paving. In the material development of a city the question of street paving is of first importance. The cost and desirability of pavements vary with proximity to materials and climate, but the following table applies to most places.

Public Utilities. - A public utility is an enterprise which, though under private ownership, makes use of public property and is a natural monopoly. Street railways, telephone lines, gas plants, and electric lighting plants are good examples of city public utilities.

In past years many cities tried the plan of setting two public service companies at rivalry with one another, but this involved public inconvenience, and soon competition proved unprofitable and a resulting combination would raise rates enough to recover former losses.

There can be no economic competition between public utilities operating in the same area. Therefore as public utilities are

1 Born in obscurity and without wealth less than 50 years ago, these brothers entered the suburban real estate business in Cleveland about 25 years ago, and now control the Nickel Plate and other railroads valued at more than a billion dollars.

2 Costs of construction are published at intervals in Public Works.

monopolies by nature there must be public authorities over them to prevent any abuse of their power. These public authorities are needed in the interest of

(1) the individual citizen, because it is the inclination of monopolies to enrich themselves at the expense of their customers and patrons;

(2) the community, because high prices of public services discourage city growth;

SMOOTH PAVEMENT MAKES POSSIBLE CLEAN STREETS.

(3) the company, because, if regulated, investors will have more confidence, and capital can be procured at more reasonable

rates.

A public utility must obtain a franchise (right to use public streets or other property), which is commonly granted by the city council. This franchise specifies the duration of the privilege and contains many provisions as to the rates and quality of service.

In order to make the regulation of public utilities elastic it is usually provided that differences of opinion regarding rates and service shall be determined by a public service commission. The larger cities sometimes have a public service commission