The Washington herald., 1909-08-22

/ IN their power to BRING them 10 a halt
The trainers knew that the performances
I o. public duties must always be intrUst-
cd to representatives elected by the pe0-
+ pie. and felt that that system would be
the most Representative which guarded
the action Of those representatives by
granting the people the opportunity OF
placing their Anal approval or rejectyon
upon all their actions.
The initiative. referendum. and recall,
as provided by them IN the Des MOines
plan. gives TO the people this high type
I of representative government. since any
desired legislation can be secured and
+ progress on the part OF the administra-
I ton greatly stimulated. When ordinances
may be vetoed by the people, certain con-
tractors viii no longer be favored nor
special privileges be granted. nor will
any one have the temerity 70 bride Of
4 fcials. for while a small body OF alder
men may be reached by such influence,
I II would not be possible thus to influence
whole people
! The plan has been in operation but one
year and no one would say that IL has
been sufficiently tried 10 warrant a judg-
men. as to It's ultimate success or failure.
I but enough has been accomplished. even
/ in these few months. 20 indicate that il
4 IS a decided Improvement over the Old
system. and that Il contains at least a
/ suggestion for the solution Of problems Of
municipal government.
New Election Methods.
The first election under the Des Moines
/ plan proved beyond doubt that its method
Of selecting public officials was superior
10 that in effect under the Old form of
government. Instead Of being required &c
select their officials as under the old sys-
TEN. from a limited number Of candi-
dates. none Of whom was desirable. the
voters of Des Moines were permitted 10
| choose their first commissioners from a
list Of ffty-two men. many Of whom were
citizens OF recognized ability and the
highest integrity With ward lines re-
moved. the corrupt element Of the city
/ found Il impossible to control the cleo
/ ton Of n Democratic mayor IN strongly
/ Republican city. Candidates hesi.ated.
! because Of those provisions prohibiting
/ the giving Of any reward for political sery-
/ ices. to do more than advise the voters
OF their peculiar ftress for the Office.
/ leaving the voters free to exercise their
( choice az the election.
With ward politics The worst sections
OF the city have been able to elect cor
rupt men 10 the council, with party pol
itics party leaders have often paid their
political debts by putting politicians Of
mediocre ability into city Offices; by the
aid OF money and other corrupt methods.
/ incapable and dishonest men readily Sc
cured entrance to the council But I'M
I der the Des Moines plan ward lines have
/ been removed. party politics eliminated.
and the use or money and corrupt meth
DDS made penitentiary onenses. and II
Is difficult. II not impossible. for the inef-
I fiCient and corrupt 10 secure a following
/ from the city at large strong enough 70
elect them commissioners.
/ In March, 1905 A j. Mathis was elected
mayor. and John MacVicar. Charles W.
Schramn. John L. Hamery. and J. IVES
/ ley Ash were elected commissioners. Mr..
I Mathis is a Democrat politically. was
+ formerly engaged in the real estate bust
ness. and az one time held the office of
police Judge Mr.. MacVicar. superintend-
/ ent OF the department of streets and pub
/ lie improvements, served his city twice
as mayor under the old system, and IS
/ secretary OF the League Of American
| Municipalities. Charles W. Schramm,
superintendent Of accounts and finances,
was previously the assessor, and made
/ a splendid record. John l. Hamery, su-
] perlntendent Of public instruction. was
once an alderman under the old system.
/ having been elected on a reform ticket.
lie is q union labor man. a journeyman
painter J. Wesley Ash. superintendent
Of parks and public property. was once a
coal miner, a union labor leader. formerly
deputy sheriff. and elected by union labor
support At this first election. no tend
ency was indicated 10 choose the COM
missioners from any section Of the city.
or from any profession or class
What Has Been Done.
These FIVE men took Up their duties in
April. 1908. ard so have more than COM
pleted the first half Of their two-year
term. Bankrupt and unsatisfactory con-
dftions, left by the old administration.
handicapped the new government from
the beginning. But these men have APP
piled themselves earnestly TO their work.
Many accomplishments stand 70 their
credit.
With the department Of streets and
public Improvements rest the response
bility OF experimenting all the public
improvements Of the city. During the
year ended last April this department
| constructed over S55O,OOo worth Of i'm
provements, in the way OF bridges sew
ers. paving, curbing, &C. This work has
been done promptly, economically, sys-
tematically. and at a great saving to
| property owners The superintendent has
/ held the contractors to a reasonable
| compliance with the provisions Of their
| contracts. Instead OF allowing the sub
stitution OF q grade OF material inferior
| 20 eEor IN, no ~ he- hn Z
refused to accept work that did not COM
/ ply with the requirements. An example
OF this may be seen on the contract for
the paving of Twelfth street. where
three different lots OF brick blocks were
laid before the pavement was finally &C
! cepted: the difIiculty being that the ma
terial used was not up to specifications.
Police and Parks.
Upon the department of public safety
rests the responsibility Of policing the
ffty-four square miles Of territory within
the city limits; OF protecting the health
OF the 10000 people who 1--we within her
borders. and OF provinding adequate fire
protection for SSOOOO.OO0 OF property.
| In this department we find a complete
reorganization OF the police force. The
chief is a man Of seventeen years ex-
perience in the ranks. and his influence
is already being seen in the increased eff
hciency Of the force. As fast as possible
those policemen who are politically in
clined are being removed and replaced
| by young and trustworthy citizens. They
are neat, clean. courteous. and do not
hang around the saloons as did many IN
der the old system. A school OF instruc-
ton has been organized for the benefit
OF the policemen. Slot machines and
gambling devices which formerly ran In
open violation OF law. have been sup
pressed. The Red Light" district of
/ Des Moines has been cleaned out; bond
| F-o-,, 49, a,-4,,-