The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-12-07
THE DIES MONIES PLAN.

Out of dire necessity grew the commission
system of municipal government. Galveston faced
a calamity with which the then controlling forces
could not cope, in the face of which the powers
we're utterly useless. When the tidal wave swept
in the Texas city, in the Generalization that
followed it demonstrated that the system of
municipal control by boards, council and mayor
inefficient, and the citizens of Galveston got
the legislature to enact law putting aside the old
worn-out system and substituting therefor com
mission system which has since proved its value.
comparative statement of the financial trans
actions of the city for twelve years shows that
the commission saves $500 day over the expenses
of the old governmental practice, and carries on
more municipal improvements than ever. 1t doesn't
require prophet, or revelator to see the adj
vantages of a $500 day saving, especially when
that saving is continuous. In the case of Calves
ton, the daily saving of $500 runs over period of
six years.
Though perfection sought, it could not be
expected. Perfection is unattanable The new
plan worked so well in Texas, however, that other
cities in other states have secured new charters
from the legislature, and have improved on the Gal
weston idea as originally worked out Among the
lines IS Iowa, and Des Moines, city of approx
mately $4,000 inhabitants, has seized her opportun-
ity and instituted the "Des Mones plan," which is
founded on the principles of the Galveston idea
with such notifications as it is thought will i'm
prove the original.
The law making possible the change in Des
Moines was passed by the Iowa legislature and ap-
proved by the governor on March 49, 1907 It ap-
plies only to cities having a population of $4,000
more, affects about half dozen cities of that
state if they choose to take advantage of it. The
proposition must be presented to the voters on ne
tion of % per cent of the electors at any proceed
ing city election.
The commission consists of four councimen
and mayor who are nominated at non-nartisan
primaries, and each of whom is at the head of .
city department, one of public affairs, one of ac
counts and finances, one of public safety, one of
streets and public improvements and one of parks
and public property. majority of the council is
to pass any measure, but all franchises
to public service corporations must be submitted to
a vote of the people for rejection or approval
One very admirable feature of the Iowa law is
the provision substituting personal merit for DO
itical pull in securing and holding subordinate
and clerical positions under the city This feature
alone is sufficient to commend the law to all who
seek the best possible service for the city Public
ty is provided for in the publication of itemized
of receipts and expenditures each
month"; which statements must be presented to the
state library, the city library the newspapers. and
furnished to every person applying for copy.
The right of recall is provided, by means of
which any all elected councilmen and the mayor
nay be removed from office. Furthermore, if the |