The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-25
JUST 900 SICNERS
Topeka Can Have Commission
Form of Government
LII Petitions to Be Issued Will
Receive Signatures.
A SPECIAL ELECTION
Mayor Green Will Call One if
Petitions Demand.
People Over City Radically in
Favor of Move.

Sometime this week City Attorney
Ralston and Mayor Green will pre-
pare a series of petitions for the
commission form of government
These petitions will be given to the
topeka Commercial club and left with
this body for proper. signatures. If
the club is able to procure signatures
equal in number to 10 per cent of
| the votes cast for mayor at the last
city election the mayor will call
special election and the people of
Topeka will have the chance to vote
on the commission form of govern
| ment. There were GIL votes cast
for mayor at the last city election.
Therefore it would take only 61S
| s1gners to call special election and
vote on the commission plan at once;
| 61S signatures should be secured in
Even If the petitions were left at the
| Commercial club rooms they would
| be filled in one day
Thus it can be. seen that the first
| real permanent step has been taken
| and it is up to the people of this
| city. The more the signers the bet
ter for this petition and when taken
| to the rooms of the Commercial club
| 1t will be announced. The people
will sign these petitions, then go to
called by Mayor Green in the near
| future and vote either for or against
| the commission form. If they vote
| for it, then in April, 1910 the first
batch of commissioners will be sifted
at the primaries and the second
| batch at the election. In other
words Topeka can and should be I'M
der the rule of a mayor and city
commissioners one year from this
date.
For the last year or so the COM
mission form of government-the
laws of the city resting in the hands
| OF a naYor and four commissioners
who shall spend all of their time
with the interests Of the city--has
been smouldering in this city. For a
| time it broke out into a fairly good
| blaze but was quenched by the lack
| of public interest. There were plenty
| of people who would sign up for the
commission plan but the lack of
| leaders was Woeful.
Now the flames are breaking forth
anew. The weaknesses of the council
form have been brought forth every
few days by the State Journal and
the people have been watching them
with interest. They have pricked up
their ears, shook their heads, grabbed
their hats-and now they are at the
very doors of the city hall demand
ing THE reason for such a delay on
the part of the city officials.
To tell the truth it is not the part
of the city officials to push forth
their ideas on the commission form
of government If the administra-
ton had been fighting for this new
plan the people would have decided
that it was a boost for them bv some
manner or means and they would
have been reluctant in signing up.
If the administration had fought the
plan the people would still be in
doubt as to the sort of advantages
administration have left the matter
without prejudice to other leaders.
Mayor Green said this morning
that he had hundreds of inquiries ev-
the city did not take the initiative.
City Attorney Ralston has also re-
ceived a number of callers who have
taken an active interest. In fact
the mayor and city attorney are both
placed in such position that it is al
most necessary for them to draw up
the petitions. This does not insin-
uate that they do it against their will
far from this-Mayor Green, many
of the councilmen and Attorney Raj
commission plan-they have always
been ever since its introduction.
Mayor Green's Idea.
1--WE are viewing the weaknesses of
the present council every day." said
Mayor Green to the State Journal
reporter this morning. Every meas
ure and every action tells the same
story. The slow committee work, the
shifting of responsibility, the play
ing to the gallery and the socalled
loyalty to the conStituentS-alI of this
would be done away with by the
that Topeka should have this new
system
"Oh, 1 can see no other way out of
the conditions that are now existing
under the council system-we must
have this commission p1an,' this
from Councilman q Jordan IF the
North side. A man who has been a
councilman for number of years
and who can see clearly the weakness
in his own party. Mr.. Jordan has al
poor work of the council, with the
good work of the commissfon-and he
has held his chair in the council
chamber all of the time. It is wise
man who can see his own faults.
The fact of the matter is that To-
peka has an exceptionally good city
government The people accordingly
have been slow to change. Had cor
ruption and Incompetence existed, the
demands for a new system would
have been more insfstent. The pres
ent plan however, is political and in
numbered with shifting responsible
ity. delay and red tape; the commits
sion plan is direct and effectively
quick and business like.
It would simply be case of nam
ing over the different people who
have had experience with the city af-
fairs to quote their sentiments in ia
vor of the Des Moines plan. Nearly
everyone is for 1t. The people over
the city are enthused as well and
they have at last attempted to make
their wants known.
The commission form can be re-
called if the people do not like it.
There is no chance of placing rock
on the heads of the people by making
this change from council to commits
sion. At this time of the game the
commissioners would only be elected
for one year at the most and during
this time the people of the city would
have a very good chance to make up
their minds.