Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-10
MAYOR OF DES MONIES
ANSWERS vi QUESTIONS
Civic system is undcrstnndinGly Ex-
plainctl-Now Ogden is 10
Investigate.

= r-.} = J,
More light on how the commission
system of city government works in
Des Moincs Iowa, comes to Salt Lake
IN the form of u communication from
the mayor of Des Moines.
The letter was written to j. S. Lewis,
chairman Of the Civic Improvement
League of Ogden, which has been in
yestigating the plan. This league has
also decided to send a commissioner to
I1es Aloines to study the system, along
with the commission that is to go from
Salt Lake City.
The letter from Mayor A. j. Mathis
of Des. Moincs, with his accompanying
answers to queries asked by the Og-
den league, is as follows:
I'VE have a commission of five men,
because three superintendent would be
unable TO take care of the work. In Il
smaller citM.three commissioners might
suffice.
The responsibility of all the work Of
any department is not placed entirely
upon the superintendent. as you evil
IDENTIFY suppose. You will observe by ii
close study of the charter that all his
acts must be approved by the council
as whole. This provision Is, in ef-
feet, a check. The superintendent is
the supervisor. He has direct charge
But his action is not necessarily final.
.iEsl otLltLl les fWOulu pIOUdDIy hIl-s
swer We'll In smaller cities. You will
notice that our law fixes the salaries to
conform to the size Of cities, which is.
the proper arrangement.
THE commissioners should devote all
their time to the official work Our
commissioners are on active duty from
about a. M until 5 p. M, which are
the usual business hours in this city
II enclose a list of questions which /
have recently answered, wherein You
may find information of benefit to YOU
Yours truly, A. j. MATHIS.
Mayor of Des Moines.''
The questions and answers mentioned
are as follows:
Why is the city government by COM
mission more economical? Ans. Delft
mite fixing of5duties and responsibilities,
with increased salaries, insures closer
attention to work Attention means
saving.
Has the tax rate been lowered as the
result of the adoption Of the Des Moines
plan? Ans. Slightly. More of a re-
duction expected next year The objec-
ton of our people has not been as to-
the amount of taxes, but the benefits
great change.
Did the lack of centralized respon-
sibility in the old government result in
Wastefulness? II So how? Ans. Yes.
Too many cooks spoil the dinner. Au-
thorty was not fixed hence no point
for blame, encouraging waste.
Does the commission plan result In
the election of better men than did
the old plan? II SO. why? Ans. Yes.
Reasons: Better salaries; the selee-}
ton of good men from one ward made
possible by the elimination of ward
lines; efficient men in minority po-
litical parties made available by elm
ination of partisan politics in nomna-
tons. The dignity OF the commission
ship growing out of the many fine
characteristics Of the plan attracting
men who hitherto have refused to take
part III municipal affairs
Obj Working inversely, these condi- /
tons and others have tended to reduce
the chances of undesirable candidates
Are the same men more efficient?
Ans. Yes. Good men have4unrestrictcd
chance to make good. Poor men tpnr-
ticulaIly subordinates) held to close ac-
count
"Do the people take more interest in
the government of the city? Why?
Ans. Yes. The government being more
efficient, it naturally becomes more OF
pride of the citizens. The peoples
knowledge Of their right to use the
recall. initiative and referendum gives
them q proprietary interestnot hitherto
enjoyed.
'.NVill the commission plan continue to
work well if the electorate becomes in
ditferentn?t Ans. Certainly not. Will
work even better than under the old
system, but yet unsatisfactory. Il
the people become indifferent they will
deserve bad government and will get it.
rs politics removed from your city
election2 II So, how? Elimination of
party name from ballot: publicity OF
campaign expenses, penalty for pay
ment of money OF. promise of job or
other valuable things These pro-
visions have a strong tendency to-
eliminate politics In the usual sense OF
the term. If the people become indif-
ferent, unless the commissioners are
extraordinary men, politics may creep
in.
Does confusion ever arise between
the heads of departments in the com.
mission plan? Ans. seldom 1T is nat
"a part of the required program that
all men on ii commission should agree
sinvarlably- Disagreement frequently
develops the best course: II it We're
not for the possibility of disagreement.
what would be the use of one COM
missioner referring to the commission
as d whole Il matter that Chiefly af-
.fccts his department? The theory OF /