The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-23
NO PLACE FOR APATHY.

| Report are current to the erect that
considerable apathy prevails among the
citizens OF Topeka towards the PROPOSE
ton to change this city's form of NUM-
cipal rule to that of a government by
a commission. An election to determine
this question has been called for No
vember and it is said that not much
interest is being manifested in it.
| This condition of affairs may be true
but if they are grave mistake is be-
ing made by the voters Of the capital
city of Kansas and the states most
progressive one There are plenty of
enemies to the commission plan of gov
eminent They comprise for the most
part Industrious politicians who look
upon public office as a private snap
and who devote the special energies they
have to making a living at the expense
of the taxpayers by hook or crook In
the class Of onoonents to the plan are
also quite a number OF persons who
are prajudiced against change IN the
form OF the city's government because
CT their ignorance of the merits of the
commission system and their unwilling
ness to learn anything about it. These
antagonists Of the proposition might be
numerically strong enough to go to the
polls on the special election day and
defeat the project. They will not ne
able to do so though If the full strength
OF the vote which is really In favor of
the change in the system Of govern
ment is polled. and every effort should
be made to get this vote out. This
cannot be done without work and now
is the time to start such labor.
1t should also be remembered that
there are conscientious people who are
opposed to the commission form on
principle and because they really be-
lieve that the change will prove ex-
re nsdve, and unsatisfactory for Topeka
in the end, particularly as this city has
been exceptionally fortunate in her
mayor ard council Only the most care
full and conclusive testimony can infiu-
ence this class, part of whom believe
the Kansas law has serious defects.
1t is really difficult to figure out the
objection to commission form Of gov
eminent being tried IN this city. So
superior is it in all ways to The pres
ent methods employed in the conduct
of the city's affairs as to be beyond
comparison with it. More than 30
cities in the country now have the
commission form of government and
not one of them would change back to
the old plan. The recent success of
Des Moines with the commission form
of government ought to be familiar to
every one in these parts-it has been
told about and reviewed often enough.
Not only did that city during the first
year it tried the commission plan save
something like 100000 but every field of
municipal activity was conducted with
a degree of efficiency and with magnif-
cent results that surpassed anything in
the history of the city. That's the story
wherever the commission form of gov
eminent has been tried.
Is it possible that Topekans are go
ing to throw away an opportunity to
try this up-to-date system of munich
ral administration? During the past
few years Topeka has been we'll Gov
erned, but the present plan of city
government is out of date, is not suffi-
GENTLY direct. responsible, effective or
business like.