Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-03

ment of streets and public improvements in
Des Moines, and C. II. Huston, holding a
like position in Cedar Rapids. Mr.. Huston
delivered an address in favor of the sub
ject Thursday, but discussion was post
poned until the following day. This dis
cussion was entered into by delegates from
the four corners of the continent.
Municipal government by commission
is unAmerican," declared Hugo Grosser Of
Chicago, the first speaker. 1T puts into
the hands of four or five men the entire
legislative, executive and judicial power,
and for my part. 1 would rather have a
few Bath House Johns and Hinky Drinks,
for they represent the people, and despite
them, no one can point to any scandal in
the Chicago city council within the last
fifteen years"
David L. Hineman Of Detroit told the
delegates that he considered the commits
sion plan too much of an experiment as
yet, and that before the Michigan metropo-
lis adopted it 1t would wait and see how
the plan works when the commission be-
comes corrupt.
I'VE have no Bath House Johns or Hinky
Drinks in Detroit. and we don't want them,
but we heard yesterday how sewage could
be purified by being thrown up into the air
and let the sunlight penetrate II. So with
corrupt politicians. If you throw the sun
light Of publicity on them they will not
long remain corrupt. We have a sort of
compromise in Detroit, four or five COM
missions handling the police, fire, water
and a few other things, and we have had
no trouble in fifty years, but we also have
our city council and Board Of Education"
/ FavOrs Free Field.
"In my country anybody can run for any
thing without asking the PERMISSION Of any
one, said Joseph Oliver, mayor OF Toronto,
Canada. ~ fail to see what difference 1t
makes whether you have commission gov
eminent or the old tried and true plan.
but in Canada we put the responsibility on
the heads OF the departments, not on the
mayors"
Comptroller Hockens Of ToroVto also
talked on the subject and said that full
publicity was given all acts OF the city
council before final action was taken and
that no one had cause for grievance.
City Engineer Rosewater entered the dis.
cussion and addressed the delegates al
some length.
THE great failure Of municipal govern
ment is that every few years the men who
have experience and know how to manage
the affairs Of their departments are turned
"a " hAah AooAu 4OI Bolilltdl pIUleBeS,
said Mr.. Rosewater. THE fire and police
departments are not changed with every
political administration Why then should
the heads Of the public works departments
and the clerks conversant with their work
be changed? The commission plan will fail
unless It starts out with civil service"
Resolutions Adopted.
A resolution was adopted by the conven-
ton thanking for courtesies extended the
mayor. city council and other Omaha Of
ficials, the order of Ak-Sar-Ben and the
Elks, General Morton. the Union Pacific,
the packing industries and the telegraph
companies. The resolution also acknowI-
edges the space devoted to publication of
the activities Of the convention by the pa
pers OF the city.
Another resolution urges that depart
mental city conventions. such as plumbing,
inspecting and engineering, hereafter meet
with the league.
II was also voted TO go on record al
opposing extension by the government Of
patents 10 the Cameron Septic Tank com.
pany. which makes sewage publication ma.