The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-26
Advice OF Lafayette Young, the
Great iowa Editor.
Given to Any City Considering
the Commission Plan.
1T WORKS PERFECTLY.
We Have Cut Out Loose PuiIpys
OF City Government
Directness and Simplicity CT
Plan Appeal to Des MOines.

Wichita, Nov. 26.-"You ought to
adopt the commission form I'm Wichita
oy unanimous vote. 1t cuts the loose
puileys in city government" The
above is the declaration of Hon. La
fayette Young, editor of the Des Moines
capital, and the best known newspaper
publisher in Iowa.
Mr., Young is a student of good gov
eminent and his prominence in Des
Mo1nes affairs, as well as his promi-
nence in Iowa, are we'll known. He
has national reputation as a Repub
Hcan editor In reply to a letter from
the Beacon as to the result of commits
sion government in Des Moines, Mr..
Young says:
Some of It's Advantages.
Our people are perfectly satisfied
and 10 per cent of the voters would not
vote to restore the ward plan.
"One advantage of the new plan Is
directness and simplicity. When things
go wrong you can find out who is re-
sponsible Formerly with US, we never
could locate blame. If we called on the
city council, they blamed the board o.
public works, or the library board. or
the cemetery board, or the board of
park commissioners, or some other
board, or the chief engineer If we
found fault with the work of a paw
ing inspector. we never could find the
particular one who was the inspector
on duty at the time the pavement was
laid.
Things were all the time going
wrong and every official had a good
and plausible explanation as to why he
was not to blame.
Ran Large on Noise.
Unworthy men were elected to Of
fee because they made loud noise in
the council, advocating impossible, but
to some extent popular measures. A
man could get into the council from a
ward and propose radical things which
he knew would never be adopted and
on that record could be reelected from
time to time and accomplish nothing.
Under the new plan no man can do
these things.
Publicity is an element in the new
plan. No change in ordinances can be
made short of one week and previous
to any change publicity must be- given.
IF the council refuses to act on some
proposition which is desired there is a
way provided by petition. for taking
it out of the hands of the council.
THE council has no authority to
grant franchises. Everything must be
submitted to the people.
Short Term If He Is Bad.
IF man is elected and is not doing
satisfactory work he can be recalled
by a petition signed by 25 per cent of
the voters who voted at the election at
the time ne was CHOSEN. 1t Is the per-
centage that governs. The voters need
not necessarily be the same.
Our commissioners or cOuncilmen
are nominated at a nonpartisan pri-
mary. The primary dominates 10 per-
sons and from that list at the general
election 5 are chosen to become the
commissioners. This plan gives every
man a show.
'At our primary there were more
than so candidates.
Our first commission was disap-
pointing in a measure because so many
persons connected with the former city
government were selected but we have
been agreeably disappointed in the
work they have done. This indicates
that the charge made that the old sys-
tenn was right provided the right men
are chosen was not true.
Satisfied Though Beaten.
I'VE selected men from the old sys-
tenn and put them in charge of the new
system and they have done splendid
work. 1 did not vote for one of them,
either at the primary or at the polls.
The men voted for were defeated but
1 have been more than gratified by the
work done by the men who were sue
cessful and have congratulated them
from day to day on their work. 1t
will be charged in your campaign that
this new plan destroys popular govern
ment. I heard one eloquent man who |
was opposed to US make speech to
an audience of three thousand people, |
and you would have thought if the Des
Moines plan should be adopted, gov
eminent by the people would come to |
an immediate end. The contention was |
that a few bosses in the city were try !
the people. but we dealt with the mat |
ter in good faith and argued for the |
new plan and now we are proud of it, |
Wichita Should Try 1t.
You ought to adopt it by a unani- !
nous vote in Wichita. When you do |
adopt it and it is in operation, you will |
wonder why you were foolish enough |
to think that every little city govern |
ment must be a small sample of a re- |
public with an executive head and a /
legislative department and ha a.
chinery that goes with a republic. That |
idea is not sensible. The government |
of a city is a purely business PROPOSE |
ton. It consists of enforcing ordi- |
nances, laying pavements and side |
walks looking after parks and ceme-
teries and doing these practical things !
which have nothing to do with human |
liberty but have much to do with COM |
mon sense.
after the government of a corporation, |
having a board of directors who are |
responsible to the stockholders.
Sends Copy of the Law.
at send you under separate cover |
copy of the law. The Des Moines plan |
means concentration of authority and |
location of responsibility. You run your |
presses doubtless with motors You |
have cut out the shafting and the belt !
ing that used to be in the upper part |
of your press room. You attach the |
power directly to the machinery that is |
to be moved. The new plan of city |
government attaches the power and |
cuts out the shafting and the betting. |
In most manufacturing establishments |
it used to cost great deal OF coal TO |
run the shaftfng and the betting and |
loose puIIeys We have cut out the |
loose pulleys in city government.
LAFAYETTE YOUNG"
cas- TS CHEAP FOR THEM.