Munsey's Magazine, August 1911

This August 1911 issue of Munsey's Magazine features a substantial article by Judson C. Welliver on "The Onward Sweep of City Government by Commission," examining municipal reform. The piece traces the commission system's origins in Galveston following the 1900 disaster, its adoption in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in 1908, and its subsequent spread across North America. Welliver details the plan's mechanics: five commissioners elected at-large without party affiliation, combining legislative and executive functions; departments headed by individual commissioners; and accountability mechanisms including initiative, referendum, and recall provisions. The article addresses theoretical objections regarding centralized power and separation of powers doctrine, concluding that practical experience validates the system. Also included is a poem by Mary Coles Carrington titled "Guard Thou My Peace," an advertisement for Fairy Soap, and portraits of various mayors implementing the commission system.