The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-04-29

food, Waterbrash Sour Stomach. Henri
En Iess ppef apta Hns 81 tss
heart, Shortness OF breath, and all affec-
tions Of the heart caused BY Indigestion.
dent sufferer from Dyspepsia or Indges-
tion to cast aside all other medicine and
give this remedy trial. If it fails to
give satisfaction / will refund g ,eS IN mo-
For sale by all druggists. Price, 25c.
officials. Without an active public
sentiment, an alert press, and we'll
meaning leaders in public movements,
the recall is worthless.
"One of the crying needs Of the
great American people is some one to
whom they may tell their municipal
troubles with the happy inward feel
ing that the listener is giving patient
and conscientious attento on and with
the further feeling that the said lis
tener Is contemplating some method of
| furnishing you relief. One of our citi-
zens recently remarked that the best
thing about the new plan of govern
ment is that somebody is always on
the job Each commissioner is on
duty from early morning until work
closes in the fternoon. Each super
intendent is expected to keep in close
/ tolch with the affairs of his depart
ment.
"The law makes clear the relation
ship between a councilman and tAe
council. The superintendent of ac-
counts and finance may arrange for
an expenditure to pay for few char
4 tess. Even this insignificant transac-
ton must receive the approval Of the
council.
Some other fine features of our
system are:
"If the council votes negatively up
on question upon which number OF
the people desire an affirmative vote,
there is a process by which the coun-
Gil must then submit the matter to a
vote of the people.
'No candidate for office is permitted
to give promise of an official position
in return for political services.
mo citizen is permitted to spend
money to advance the interests of any
candidate.
"If the council refuses to take &C
instance, the people may force action.
"All subordinate officials are en-
ployed only for the time they give
satisfaction, and not by the term.
i Monthly statements of the expen-
diture of all money is required.
ANY provision for the expenditure
: of public money must be laid on the
/ table .e week before the expenditure
; is made This is done to reduce un
: wise expenditures.
"All proceedings of the council mus
be printed in pamphlet form monthly
All motions. resolutions, etc, before
!. the council, must be reduced to writ
. ing.
I "The commission may abolish o.
t create small subordinate Offices accord
!? ing to the needs of the city.
o mo franchise or right to use thu
:, streets shall be given without vote
: by the people.
Concerning the faults of the old sys
|. TEN. Mayor Mathis said, in part:
"There were no definite points o
a responsibility There was the lack
:. the initiative and referendum. Th
/ people had no means of saying any
i thing as If they really meant it. War
s lines made possible manipulation an
y Inequalities. The city's business wa
n everybody's business, and, consequent
l. w nobodys business. The old chat
$ ter provided no punishment for tn
d bribe giver. The new does. Electio
IT expenses were private matters in tn
II old DAYS. A competent man who hal
II pened to belong to a minor politica
: party never found his way into tn
city council.
would it not have been possible
YOU ask. to have incorporated the ne
ideas into the old system. My al
swer is emphatically no. The az
vanced ideas would have fallen fis
If loaded onto the old form of govern
ment as vehicle"
In closing, he said:
81 do not claim that the comnissio
form of government as applied
home will make everything perfe'
there. or that similar system WI
make conditions perfect elsewhere.
NAV even be the misfortune of cit
to secure a commission that is total
bad. Such cases will be rare, but the
ma. occur.
81 only claim that the commissic
furnishes the incentive. If good me
are always in control, as is most al
to be the case, the commission wi
succeed. If bad men occasionally g
control, they will ruin everything u
less the people assert themselves al
use the recall.
"You gentlemen who want bett
form of municipal government kno