The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-28

Throughout the fight against the
adoption of the Des Moinss plan, the
chief objection urged against 1t was
altogether too autocratic and gave too
much power into the hands of few
! men; also, that it failed TO provide the
proper checks against them.
The Des Mones plan does vest
great deal OF power in the five men who
constitute the governmental gives
them all power, executive, legislative
and judicial, as far as these powers ex'
ist in municipal government. But that
was the intention. II is the scheme OF
great business institutions to put all
power in the hands OF few men, and
the Des Moine, plan was designed for
business-the city's business.
But there is practically no talk OF this
alleged autocracy now. The people
understand that they elected the men
who had the power and that in a year
from next spring they have opportunity
to elect new set if the Old is unsatis.
factory, by a primary and election
system that is absolutely untrammeled
and non partisan. They understand
also that while the power of the COM
mission is great, so is its responsibility
great. The five so called autOcrats are
held for every act of the new govern
ment and through the recall and the
initiative and referendum tho people
have way OF reaching them II they
fail to live up to the responsibility.
The second principal criticism that
the proper checks are not provided-is
still argued by some Of the old Oppo
nents of the plan, although even they
are disposed to be satisfied to let the
present order OF things go on, AS
pointed out in a previous article, they
say that the city auditor, the city treas.
ure, the city solicitor and the city en-.
gineer, all of whom was formerly
elected by the people and are checks
against illigal and improper action by
the commission itself and therefore are
creatures thereof and not checks upon
it. But under the Des MOines plan
there cannot be divided responsibility
to the people. 1t is not built that way.
The elected officials are limited pur.
posely to fix responsibility definitely
and positively SO that there may be no
excuse for On-performance OF duty and
efficient administration. Under the
old system Of numerous elective Off
cials and boards, nobody was response
bic in whole for good administration
and on the whole good administration
was absolutely lack ing. You could not
find five men to conduct Il great busl-
ness who would accept the responsible
ity if their department. heads and chief
employees were to be forced upon them
without their say.sO. The Des MOines
plan is built on the same theory
if five men are to be held entirely re
sponsible for good government, they
ought to have full power to choose
their subordinate employees.
CHECKS so FAR EFFICIENT.
There is no checks but the general
check OF responsibility, of untrammeled
election biennially, of complete public
ity in business and of recall. So far
those have provided plenty.
In a previous article mention was
made OF tho charge that the commission
was juggling funds in manner not
possible with city auditor elected by
the people and not chosen by the COM
mission itself. 1t is alleged by the cit!
solicitor that the commission did not
act illegally in transferring funds and
that there was justification in law as
we'll as in necessity for their acts. For
instance: The salaries Of the city en-
gineers are paid out OF the general
fund, although they do work for the
grading fund, the cemetary fund, and
oth-r funds 1t is the city solicitors
opinion that it is legal TO take from
these other funds money to help pay
engineering or other charges. He is
sustained in this opinion by other law
yers, although others still bold that
the commission has violated thu lay.