Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-06
ncient man. who had been ~ years In
'he serVice appointed N hia place.
SCOPE OF INQUIRY.

acorn OF INQUIRY.
IN The many interviews We had dur
Inc our investigation We adopted sub
slantiaily the fonovina nne OF cues
What IL your buslnoaa7 How LONE
have you lived IN Dies MoincaY
?. What relation " amy. had you
with the old city govrrnmeut7 What.
n any. with the newt
We're YOU in favor 90 adopting the
new plant
a. rs the new system WORKING ucn9
liver
g. Have you any objections 20 tho
present form Of government ff 90
what are they7
What culiher of men have you
been able TO select Cd act as commits
sioners. and is their efficiency loss or
greater than % would have been under
the former system2
3 What changes in tho plan Of aov-
eminent N uny, would YOU suggestT
s. Can you give ua the names of citi-
gems who are opposed To the system on
the present plan of government?
Your committee endeavored 90 lutcr4
view az many as possible OF every class
ard tn see those who were opposed 10 the
adoption Of the plan. and especially
such citlaens as through thorough IN
vestigatiun. might bc able to express
convictions based upon mature con-
sideratiOn ~ the advantages or dissld-
Nantages OF the new system.
OPINIONS OF ALL CLASSES.
We had letters OF introduction 20
leading business men, but we did not
confine our interviews to that class;
we asked tho opinion OF every man we
nd In NN... .n
obtained opinions from lawyers, labor
era, ministers, street car conductors,
state, county and city officials. and
business men generally. including the
proprioturs OF what were said to BE-
the worst and the best saloons In the
city. We found only two persons who
expressed themselves as opposed to tho
new system. One was a. prominent
business man who felt that Il was
getting the government too close TO tho
people; that the people generally We're
not fitted TO select their executive Of
flcers. and preferred TO retain the old
system rather than adopt the new The
other was a business man who had for
merly been a member Of the board Of
public works and who had very strong
ideas upon the question Of civil service
and thought that a form of government
should be devised in which the eNeCu-
tive officers would not be behOlden 20
citizens generally for their appoint-
ment and thought an employees Of the
city, with the exception of private Sec
retaries. should be under civil service
rules. Both gentlemen conceded the
inefficiency Of the former system and
the success Of the present plan 80 far.
We found a few who were Indifferent,
some expressed theoretical objections,
but the vast majority were heartily
glad Of the change
Your committee made very full notes
Of interviews with the various citizens,
which are at the disposal OF your
board if desired
VISIT TO LINCOLN, NEB.
We were advised that Lincoln, Neb.,
had recently sent a committee to Des
Moines and that there had also been
prepared new charter for the city
of Lincoln, 20 be introduced when tho
legislature convenes
We thought Il advisable 20 so 70 Lam
coin and obtain a copy Of the charter
which the citizens committee has ne
ported vote recently taken IN that
city showed a majority of four 10 one
In favor OF the commissioner plan.
ADOPTION BY OTHER CITIES.
We found that many delegations had
visited Des Moines for the purpose OF
investigating the commission system;
that IL has been established IN Cedar
Rapids. Ida; El Paso, san Antonio,
Fort Worth. Dallas and Houston, Tex;
that Nashville and Memphis Tenn. had
voted in favor Of the adoption 0f the
new plan Among the visiting delega-
tons was a committee headed by Pres
dent blot Of Harvard university and
eX-GoY. John ID Long Of Massachu-
sets. We were fortunate In obtaining
copy OF the printed report OF this
committee. the general recommenda-